718 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Met. Bills. 211, 212, pp. // each). — Summaries of observations at Amlierst, Mass., 

 on pressure, teniiTeratuic. humidity, i)recii)itHtion, wind, snnsliine. cloudiness, 

 and casual plienomena during July and August, 1911, are [iresented. The data 

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



The probable influence of the soil on local atmospheric radioactivity, J. C. 

 Sanderson (Amer. Jour. Sci., J,, ser., 32 (1911), No. 189, pp. 169-18Jf, figs. 2).— 

 This article reports and discusses the results of determinations of the amount 

 of radium emanation in the underground, air in the neighborhood of the Sloane 

 Physical Laboratory of Yale University. 



" It was found that 1 cubic centimeter of underground air contains radium 

 emanation efpial to the amount in equilibrium with 2.4X10 — ^' grain of radium. 

 This is equivalent to the production, per cubic centimeter of earth, of radium 

 emanation in equilibrium with 8.9X10 — ^* gram of radium. 



"A method, has been devised by which the amount of thorium emanation pres- 

 ent in underground air can be directly measured in an electroscope and com- 

 pared with the emanation evolved by a known weight of thorium salt. In this 

 manner it was found that the earth in the neighborhood of the laboratory emits 

 per cubic centimeter thorium emanation equivalent to that produced by 

 1..35X10 — ° gram of thorium under the standard conditions. 



" The important bearing of the emanating power of the soil on the radio- 

 active properties of the atmospheric air in different localities has been pointed 

 out, and a method has been suggested by which the emanating powfer of the 

 soil and the radioactive character of the underground air can be determined in 

 any given locality." 



Buckwheat and frost, I. A. Pulman (Ezheg. Dcpt. Zcinl. \Riismt'\, 1909, 

 pp. 10, 11 ; uhs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Romel, BuJ. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant 

 Diseases, 1191, No. 4, P- 816). — It was found that — 1 and — 2° C. did no harm 

 to buckwheat seedlings, but at — 2.5° the tenderest leaves began to suffer, at 

 — 4° nearly all the plants were damaged, and at — 6° they were killed. The 

 possibility of developing resistant varieties is discussed and a type developed 

 at the Bogoroditsk station which resists a temperature of — 4° is referred to. 



Action of weather and moisture in soil on the the growth of buckwheat, 

 I. A. Pulman (E.::heg. Dcpt. Zeml. [Russia}, 1909, pp. 61-69; ahs. in Internat. 

 Inst. Agr. f/^owe], Bui. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 1911, No. /, pp. 

 81 Jf, 815). — Experiments at the Bogoroditsk experiment station showed that 

 there was a critical period in the life of buckwheat between flowering and 

 the formation of grain. With sufficient rain at this period the yields were 

 good. When conditions were favorable up to the period of flowering and then 

 drought ensued there was a large production of straw but little grain. In the 

 opposite case the yield of straw was less but that of grain higher. 



In pot experiments it was shown that the maximum yield was obtained with 

 a constant soil moisture content of 34 per cent from flowering to maturing of 

 grain. A reduction of moisture from 34 to 24 per cent during the period from 

 formation to maturity of grain reduced the yield, but an increase from 24 to 34 

 per cent during the same period gave a considerable increase of grain. 



Effect of weather on the growth of oats and millet, I. A. Pulman (Ezheg. 

 Dept. Zeml. [Russia], 1909, pp. 11-74; abs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome'i, Bui. 

 Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 1911, No. .'/, pp. 816, 811). — A study during 

 10 years of the relation of temperature, cloudiness, and rainfall to the growth 

 of oats showed that " in years of good harvest, during the 10 days preceding 

 formation of the ear tliere was abundant rain, i-ather low temperature, and a 

 cloudy sky. In years of bad harvest, during the same period there was very 

 little rain, the temperature was rather high, and the sky clear. Up to this 

 period, whatever the outer conditions, the growth of the oats is uniform and 



