434 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



crops; tlio nioohiinisni of llic action of iiiaiiganese fcrlilizors ; and the practical 

 use of nianjiaiu'so fertilizers. The author concludes that the status of the value 

 of such fertilizers is still unsettled. 



Experiments on the fertilizing' action of the crystalline residue of tobacco. 

 G. Cakuso {Atti li. Accad. Ecoti. Ayr. (icorg. Firciizc. o. aci:, G (190'.)), No. 2, 

 pp. 215-218). — The composition of the crystalline residue of tobacco used in the 

 experiments was as follows: Water 22, organic nitrogen 1.3, annnoniacal nitro- 

 gen 0.55, nitric nitrogen 3. and potash 11).65 per cent. This material was com- 

 pared with nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia as a source of nitrogen for 

 wheat, all three being ai)plied at the rate of IS lbs. of nitrogen per acre. It was 

 found that the residue was only a little inferior to nitrate of soda and sulphate 

 of ammonia. At a price one-third less than niti*ate of soda, the author con- 

 siders that it would be an economical and convenient source of nitrogen. 



Bat guano in Burma, E. Thompstone {Agr. Jour. India, 4 {1909), No. 4, pp. 

 379-3S1). — Descriptions and analyses are given of a number of samples of bat 

 guano collected from limestone caves in different parts of Burma. The ma- 

 terial is shown to be very variable in composition. The richest sample ex- 

 amined contained 2.13 per cent of phosphoric acid and 7.97 per cent of nitrogen. 

 The agricultural value of the fertilizer is briefly noted. 



Sawdust for use as litter, E. Kinch {Agr. Student.'^' Gaz., n. ser., IJ^ {1909), 

 No. 5, pp. 167, 168). — Determinations of nitrogen and mineral matter in saw- 

 dust from oali, elm, ash, spruce, larch, and red pine are reported. The results 

 show from 0.14 to 0.3 per cent of nitrogen and from 0.25 to 1.38 per cent of 

 mineral matter in the dry matter. Assuming 10 per cent of moisture, the 

 nitrogen content is 0.2 per cent. 



Report of analyses of commercial fertilizers and Paris green, J. E. Halli- 

 GAN {Louisiana Stas. Fcrt. Rpt. 1908-9, pp. 122). — The results of examinations 

 of 5,638 samples of fertilizing materials and 5 samples of Paris green examined 

 during the year 1908-9 are reported. Of the 2,523 samples of complete fer- 

 tilizers examined 1,470 were equal to or above the guaranty in all 3 fertilizing 

 constituents. The constituent most frequently deficient was nitrogen and least 

 fretpiently potash. 



Report of analyses of samples of fertilizers collected by the commissioner 

 of agriculture during 1909 {New York State Sta. Bill. 318, pp. 293-381).— 

 This bulletin reports the results of analyses of samples of fertilizers collected 

 by the commissioner of agriculture of New York during 1909 and analyzed in 

 the laboratory of the New York State Station. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, B. L. Haktwell et al. {Rhode Island 

 Sta. Bui. 137, pp. 3-11). — "This bulletin contains the analyses of the samples 

 of commercial fertilizers which represented principally the brands offered for 

 sale during the spring of 1909 as potato manures. It also includes the analyses 

 of the samples of bones and tankage." Analyses and valuations of 59 samples of 

 fertilizers are given in tables. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



The fixation of bud mutation of Solanum maglia, E. Heckel ( Compt. Rend. 

 Acad. 8ci. [Paris], l.',9 {1909), No. 20, pp. 831-833).— The author describes a 

 bud mutation of 8. maglia that has become established during 4 generations of 

 cultivation. The characters of the plant and the appearance of the tubers 

 have been constant and there does not seem to have been any reversion since 

 the third generation. 



In this connection the author discusses the subject of the origin of the culti- 

 vated potato, He thinks that probably 8. commersonii, which occurs on the east 



