610 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



On the liberation of phosphorus from nuclein compounds, F. H. Scott 

 (Brit. Med. Jour., 190G, No. :i3<i<K pp. 1791, 1792).— In u paper presented at the 

 Toronto meeting of the British Medical Association (190(5), the author reports 

 studies of the phosphorus in nuclein compounds. As a whole his investigation 

 shows " that it is much more difficult to cause the phosphorus to pass fx'om 

 its nucleic-acid combination to an inorganic condition than was previously sup- 

 ])Osed. The whole principle of the Lilienfeld-Monti-Macallum reaction is there- 

 fore wrong, and we must conclude, with Raciborski and Bensley, that the deduc- 

 tions drawn from its use are worthless in so far as they relate to nucleic acid." 



On the effect of the volume of the lead precipitate in cane sugar analysis, 

 \. Deerr (Inlcr)i(if. ,Sii(/(tr Join:. 9 (1907), Xo. 97, pp. 13-15). — The following 

 conclusions are drawn from the results of experiments : 



" Solutions of cane products when made up to different volumes in the pres- 

 ence of the lead precipitate tend to give nearly identical polarizations, when the 

 readings are made at different concentrations. 



" This effect is due to the compensating effect of the volume occupied by the 

 lead precipitate and the increase in specific rotation with dilution. 



" The lead precipitate has an effect on the polarization, and neglect of this 

 tends to give a plus error to observations made under the conventional method 

 of analysis." 



The chemical composition of the crude fiber of sugar cane, H. C. P. Geerligs 

 (Mcded. Procfstaf. >'<iiilccrrict Wcst-Jani. 19(iG. Xo. 91, pp. 20). — The crude fiber 

 portion of a number of samples of sugar cane of different varieties was studied 

 and its constituents determined. 



The furfurol and methylfurfurol-yielding constituents of lignocellulose, 

 K. Fromherz (Ztschr. PlnjsioJ. riiriii.. ■',() (1906), No. 2-3, pp. 2n9-2-',ll. pJ. 1).— 

 The investigations which were made with the lignocellulose of aspen wood are a 

 contribution to the chemistry of cellulose. 



Determination of mineral acids in vinegar, F. W. Richardson and J. L. 

 BowEN (Jour. /S'oc. Chem. Indus.. 25 (1906), No. 17, pp. 836-83S).—A modification 

 is described of the Hehner method of estimating sulphuric acid in vinegar, which 

 the authors claim increases decidedly the accuracy of the results. 



The fuller's earth test for caramel in vinegar, W. L. Dubois (Jour. Amcr. 

 Chem. Soc, 29 (1907), No. 1. pp. 75-77). — Such great variations were obtained in 

 tests of fuller's earth of different sorts for removing coloring matter from samples 

 cf cider vinegar of known purity that the author I)e]ieves the material should not 

 be employed in analytical woi'k for removing coloring matter except in prelimi- 

 nary tests. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Climatology of the United States, A. J. Henry (U. »S'. Dept. Agr., Weather 

 Bur. Bui. Q, pp. 1012, pis. 33, p(js. 7). — The primary object of this work is stated 

 to be " to present in form for easy reference comparatiA'e climatic statistics for 

 the different portions of the T^nited States. The need of such a volume has been 

 felt for some time, particularly within the Department." 



In general the statistics presented cover the period from ISTO to 1903. " Two 

 distinct series of observations have been used : First, the observations made pri- 

 marily for the synoptic weather charts during the period 1870 to 1903; second, 

 the observations made by voluntary observers of the U. S. Weather Bureau for 

 purely climatic iwriioses. . . . 



" The first chapter deals with the broader features of the climate of the United 

 States. It is Intended to be read in connection with reports on the climate of 

 the respective States, which appear in subsequent chapters. For convenience im 



