26 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Fish guano, L. M. Douglas (Irish Funiiinn World, 22 (1909), A'o. }09.'i, p. 

 J76). — This is a brief account of the extent and methods of manufacture of 

 fish guano in the Ignited Kingdom and of the fertilizing value of the product 

 obtained. 



Production and consumption of manufactured fertilizers ( U. 8. Dcpt. Agr., 

 Bur. Statis. Crop Reporter, It (1909), Xo. 10, p. 71). — Statistics compiled from 

 the censuses of 1900 and 1905 (E. S. K., 20, p. 825) are given, with an estimate 

 of the amount of fertilizers consumed in 1907-8 in the States of Kentucky, 

 Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, 

 South Carolina, and Georgia. The total consumption for the States named is 

 estimated at 2,786,430 tons. 



Progress in the fertilizer industry, 1905-1908, W, Moller (Chem. Zt(;., 

 33 {1909), Nos. 60, pp. o38-5J,0, figs. J,; 61, pp. .5-i6'-,J.'/8, figs. 4; 62, pp. 554-556, 

 figs. 5; 63, pp. 562-56. 'i ; 6J/-65, pp. 511-574). — This review deals with raw mate- 

 rials, plant, machinery and processes, and scientific investigations bearing on 

 the fertilizer industry. 



[Analyses of fertilizers, soils, and waters], Alice R. Thompson (Haivnii 

 Sta. Rpt. 1908, pp. 60-62). — Determinations of the fertilizing constituents in 

 castor pomace, peanut meal, and whole plants of cowpeas, pigeon peas, and 

 jack beans, as well as chemical analyses of 7 samples of Hawaiian soils, are 

 reported and briefly discussed. Analyses of an alkaline irrigation water and 

 of 14 samples of lysimeter drainage waters are also referred to. 



The castor pomace contained 5.2 per cent of nitrogen, 1.8 per cent of phos- 

 phoric acid, 1.3 per cent of potash, and 1 per cent of lime; the peanut meal 8.4 

 per cent of niti'ogen, 1.6 per cent of phosphoric acid, 1.3 per cent of potash, and 

 0.5 per cent of lime. The irrigation water contained 78.27 gr. per gallon of total 

 solids and 35.23 gr. of salt. Its use had resulted in the death of young fruit 

 trees. It is stated that the results of the analyses of the rice lysimeter drain- 

 age waters " indicate that ammonium sulphate used as a fertilizer causes loss 

 of lime in the soil. Addition of magnesium salts causes an increase of magnesia 

 in the drainage water. Only traces of phosphoric acid were found in the sam- 

 ple of water." 



Commercial fertilizers and chemicals, T. G. Hudson, R. E. Stallings. et al. 

 (Bui. Ga. Dept. Agr., 1909, No. J,9, pp. i8.5).— This report gives the text of the 

 state fertilizer laws and rulings of the commissioner of agriculture under the 

 law, fertilizer formulas for special crops, tables giving the average composi- 

 tion of fertilizing materials of various kinds, and analyses and valuations of 

 2,274 brands of fertilizers inspected during the season of 1908-9, representing 

 estimated scales of about 884,000 tons. 



Fertilizer analyses, A. J. Patten and C. B. Collingwood (MieJiigan Sta. Bui. 

 256, pp. 345). — This is a report in the usual form of the results of the inspec- 

 tion of 346 samples of fertilizers representing 167 different brands collected 

 during the months of April, May, and June, 1909. 



New state fertilizer laws (Amer. Pert.. 30 (1909). A'o. 6, pp. 76-22).— The 

 text is given of the amended South Carolina law which went into effect on the 

 date of its approval by the governor, March 2, 1909, and of the amended Penn- 

 sylvania law which was approved May 1, 1909, to go into effect on and after 

 July 31, 1909. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



The perception of light in plants, H. Wager (Ann. Bot. [London], 23 (1909). 

 No. 91, pp. 459-489, pis. 2, figs. 3). — The author has investigated the claims of 

 Haberlandt that the cells of the epidermis of diaheliotropic leaves cause a con- 

 vergence of the rays of light, resulting in the heliotropic orientation of the leaf. 



