DISEASES OF PLANTS. 745 



Rules and specifications for the grading cf lumber, E. R. IIodson (['. S. 

 Dcpt. Ar/r., Forest »SVr/-. Bill. 77, ii/). 1.27). — This hnllothi contains an enumera- 

 tion of the rules and specifications for the grading of lumber as adopted by th3 

 various lumber manufacturing associations of tlic T'nitcd States. A historical 

 accnunt is given of the develoi)ment of grading in tliis cnnnlry, inclndiiv.: 

 (h^scriptions of the 4 grades of lumber into whicli wliite i^inc was originalv 

 classified. 'Plic States having insi)ection laws are also noted. 



Fence-post trees (T'. -S. Depf. Ac/r.. Forcft ^Serv. Circ. GD, pp. J/). — This is a 

 forest ]>lanting leallet giving brief instructions for the planting, cultivation, 

 and care of fence-post plantations, with a list of the best species for this wor':, 

 as follows: Chestnut. Euroiu-an larch, catiil));!, lilack locust, Osage orange, and 

 Russian nmlherry. The economic jilanting range and snitalile soils for (VT-h 

 of these siK'cies are given. 



pjxaminations of larch ])lan1ations in Illinois, Iowa, and eastern Dakota, and 

 hard.v catali)a plantations in Illinois, indicate that the returns from fence-po.?t 

 pinnlations are api)roximately as great as from field crops. In order to em- 

 phasize the importance of selecting well-prepared, fertile soil, the financial 

 returns from 2 hardy catalpa plantations are given. Plantation No. 1 was on 

 a well-prepared, virgin prairie soil ; No. 2, on adjacent worn-out farm land. 

 At the end of 14 years No. 1 yielded a net profit of $170.50 per acre in the value 

 of fence posts cut. whereas plantation No. 2 at the end of 1~) years yielded a 

 net profit of only $8.54 per acre. Both of these plantations received cultivation 

 and pruning at the proper time. 



Prolonging the life of mine props (Forestry and Irrkj., 13 (1907), No. 



1. pp. }.?, } }. figs. 2). — In experiments which have been recently conducted by the 

 rhiladeljihia and Reading Coal and Iron Company at its collieries near Pottr- 

 ville. Pa., under direction of the Forest Service, it has been demonstrated that 

 the preservation of mine props can be put tipon a firm commercial basis. Tho 

 principal preservatives used are creosote and carbolinium, which have been 

 found to be successful both when applied with a brush and in the open-tank 

 treatment. It is believed that the cost may be reduced still further when more 

 is known as to the length of time necessary for immersion. The experiments 

 have been mainly on loblolly pine, the wood most used for nune props. 



Wood used for tight cooperage stock in 1905, II. M. Hale (V. *S'. Depf. 

 Agr.. Forest Serv. Girt. 53, pp. S). — This circular is a compilation qf statistics 

 on the animal i)roduetion of tight cooperage stock in the United States and is 

 based on statements of 220 manufacturers. The statistics are compiled in '.) 

 tables, with the important features explained. The,v show the quantity and 

 value in 1005 of tight cooperage stock, sawed staves, bucked and split staves, 

 hewed staves, sawed heading, etc, used in the manufacture of barrels for oil. 

 distilled sijirits. wiiie, ale. beer, pork, etc. In some instances the production 

 of the different kinds of stock is given by States. 



DISEASES OF PLANTS. 



Some bacterial diseases of plants, <i. Delacroix (Arni. Inst. Nat. Agron., 



2. ser.. ■') (lUdd). No. ,?. pp. 3-iii-368, figs. -'/). — Descriptions are given of the 

 canker of jjoplars due to Mierocoeeus popiiU, a bacterial disease of potatoes 

 caused hy Hitcilliis plnitophthorus. and a bacterial disease of onions attributed 

 to Baeillit-s ccpirorits. These diseases have !)een jjreviously noted (E. S. R.. 

 IS. p. .551. 



The principal fungus diseases of the year, T. AY. Kikk (Neiv Zeal. Dept. 

 Agr. Ann. Rpt., 1.) (llXHi), pp. 3)l-36.j. pis. 13). — Descriptive notes are given on 

 a number of fungus diseases which have been observed during the year, together 



