SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 811 



BuU. 277, 278, pp. 4 each). — Summaries of observations at Amherst, Mass., on 

 pressure, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, sunshine, cloudiness, and 

 casual phenomena during January and February, 1912, are given. The data are 

 briefly discussed in general notes on the weather of each month. 



Report of the water resources investigation of Minnesota, 1909—10. 

 G. A. Ralph and R. Follansbee (Bien. Rpt. State Drainage Com. Minn., 1 

 (1909-10), pp. 347, pis. 18+51). — This report on the water resources of Minne- 

 sota combines the report of the State Drainage Commission and that of the 

 U. S. Geological Survey. The report of the State Drainage Commission con- 

 tains measurements of flow in most of the important streams of the State, 

 evaporation records from 5 stations in the Minnesota neighborhood, data rela- 

 tive to power development and the regulation and control of water resources 

 in other States and foreign countries, a map showing the distribution of rain- 

 fall throughout the State, and the draft of a proposed law for the establishment 

 of a water supply commission to regulate and control the use of the waters of 

 the State. The I'eport of the Geological Survey contains data from the investi- 

 gation of the water supply of the State, from surveys relative to the fall of the 

 streams, and on drainage, rainfall, evaporation, developed and undeveloped 

 water power, and water storage. 



Accompanying these reports, under separate cover, is a set of plates con- 

 taining topographical maps and profiles of about 1,000 miles of streams. The 

 topographical maps show the true stream courses, the mean water elevations, 

 the complete topography of the stream basins, and the locations relative to 

 township and section lines. The profiles show the fall of the streams in feet 

 per mile. The information contained in these plates shows the possibilities for 

 power development, drainage outlets, flood prevention, and navigation. 



Pond fertilizing experiments, Kuhnert (Deut. Landw. Presse, 39 (1912), 

 Nos. 11, pp. 115-117, figs. 4; 12, pp. 128, 129; 13, pp. 140-l/,2) .—Experiments 

 with various fertilizing materials to increase the growth of food plants in fish 

 ponds are reported, showing as a rule a profitable return from such fertilizing. 



SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 



Surface geology of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan, F. Leverett 

 (Mich. Geol. and Biol. Survey Puh. 7, Geol. Ser. 5, 1910, pp. 91, pis. 8, figs. 7, 

 map 1). — This report, which was prepared in cooperation with the U. S. Geolog- 

 ical Survey, includes studies of the physiography, glacial, and lake features, 

 climatic and agricultural conditions, water power, and water supply of the 

 region. 



The glacial drift is deposited irregularly over all the rock formations of the 

 peninsula, the most prominent of the features of the drifts being moraines. 

 These areas have a prevailing loose texture deposit. About 30 per cent of the 

 region is sandy till and 12 per cent a clay till. 



A preliminary study of soils of Mississippi, E. N. Lowe (Miss. Geol. Survey 

 Bui. 8, 1911, pp. 220, pi. 1, figs. 23). — This bulletin is preliminary to the detailed 

 county soil reports made in cooperation with the Bureau of Soils of this Depart- 

 ment. 



The bulletin outlines in some detail the nature, origin, and formation of 

 soils, their preparation and crop adaptation, and reports results of a study of 

 the geological structure and physiographic regions of Mississippi. A chapter 

 on soil erosion and analyses of typical soils is given in an appendix, the mechan- 

 ical analyses being made by the Bureau of Soils and the chemical analyses 

 compiled from reports by E. W. Hilgard and made by the state university. 



