AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 325 



Phonolite as a fertilizer, M. Poi»p (Mitt. Deut. Landic. GeselL, 2ft (1909), 

 No. .'i9, pp. 72^-728). — The results of a series of plat experiments with oats, 

 comparing phonolite with kainit and 40 per cent potash salt, are reported, and 

 the conclusion is drawn that phonolite in the form of fine meal exerts a dis- 

 tinct fertilizing: effect on oats, which, however, is only 75 per cent of that pro- 

 duced hy e;isily soluhle potash salts. The use of the phonolite as a fertilizer 

 was less i)rofit:ible than that of the potash salts. Apparently the oats utilized 

 only the potash of the phonolite soluble in hydrochloric acid. 



Fertilizing materials, F. T. Shutt (Canada Expt. Farms Rpts. 1909, pp. 

 159-166). — Analyses, with descriptive notes, are given of samples of fish scrap 

 from dogfisli reduction works, and of mucks, muds, marls, gypsum, wood ashes, 

 manure ashes, black muck ashes, c-ow manure, boiler scales, and flue dust. 



Analyses of the dogfish fertilizer prei)ared at the government reduction woi'ks 

 at Shippegan, New Brunswick, showed 7.73 per cent of phosphoric acid and 8.78 

 per cent of nitrogen. This represents a considerable increase in phosphoric 

 acid iis compared with the i>roduct of previous years. There was also a notable 

 improvement as shown by the smaller amount of oil present, about 16 per cent 

 in inos as compared with 2". per cent the previous year. 



Utilization as fertilizer of tomato-cannery refuse, P. Accomazzo (Riv. Agr. 

 [Parma], lo (1909). Ao. '/N. pp. 7-57, 7.>.s'). — Analysis of this refuse (dried to 

 7.5 per cent of water) showefl nitrogen 3.S5 ])er cent. i»liosphoric acid 1.31 per 

 cent, and potash 0.6 per cent. The author calculates that the wet refuse is 

 worth about 7 cts. i)er 100 Il)s. as fertilizer but considers that wherever i)ossible 

 it can l)e more profitably used for feeding cattle. 



The utilization of nig-ht soil (Enfjrais, 2.', (1909), No. ^7, pp. 1306, IS07).— 

 The industrial advantages and disadvantages of incineration are discussed. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



A history of botany. 1860-1900. .T. K. Green [Oxford, 1909. pp. r,.',3).— 

 This is a continuation of Sachs" History of Botany, 1.530-1860, the English 

 edition of which appeared in 1800. The general lines of the previous work have 

 been followed, although greater effort has been made to show the trend of 

 thought in the different departments of botany, and the book may be con- 

 sidered an epitome of the botanical activity during the latter part of the nine- 

 teenth century. A conmiendable departure is an exhaustive bibliography of 

 the works referred to in the text. 



Annual report of the Association for Applied Botany (Jahresber. Ver. 

 Angcxv. Bot., 6 (1908), pp. XLII+29',. pl.s. 2. pfjs. 7 I.— This is a report of the 

 meeting at Strasburg in August, 1008, and among the papers presented were 

 the following: Botany in the Agricultural Experiment Stations, by F. Muth ; 

 The Desirability of an Organization to Render Expert Decisions in Official 

 Matters, by L. Wittmack ; The Present Status of Soil Bacteriology, by H. 

 Fischer (see p. 317) : The Theories Concerning Smoke Injury and Some Reasons 

 for Their Nonagreement, by A. Wieler ; Summary of the Literature Relating 

 to Smoke In,iury During 1007. by A. Wieler: Potato Breeding Experiments and 

 Investigations, by Arnim-Schlagenthin (see p. 3.36) : Investigations on the In- 

 fluence of Seed Bed on the Amount and Uniformity of Germination, by 

 F. Muth (see p. 326) ; Some Diseases of Tropical Culture Plants, by C. Brick 

 (E. S. R.. 21, p. 744) ; and Notes on the Leaf Roll Disease of Potatoes, by 

 O. Appel (see p. 347). 



Distribution and movements of desert plants, V. M. Spalding (Carnegie 

 Inst. Washington Pvb. 113, pp. F+/7/4, pis. 31). — An ecological study has been 

 made of the flora of the vicinity of the desert laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, 



