818 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of data on the subject of water examination wliich liave accumulatefl dnring 

 comparatively recent years. 



Different chapters treat of the influences affecting bacteria in water ; the 

 (inantitative bacterial content of natural waters ; bacteriology of excreta, sewage, 

 and soil in relation to bacteriological examination of water ; Bacillus coli, B. 

 cnteritklis sporoyeiics. Streptococci, and allied organisms of water; bacterial 

 indicators of pollution ; interpretation of results of bacteriological examination 

 of water ; classification of water bacteria ; collection and transmission of sam- 

 ples ; methods for the enumeration and identification of B. coli and allied 

 organisms ; and examination of water for the typhoid l)acillus and other intesti- 

 nal organisms. 



An appendix gives a summary of procedure for routine examination and de- 

 scribes and explains the use of a number of indicators. A bibliography of 239 

 references to the recent literature of the subject is also given. 



SOILS— FERTILIZEES. 



Soil studies, I, A. W. Blair (Florida Sta. Bui. 87, pp. 15-J,6. fifjs. 2).— In- 

 formation regarding the soils of Florida is summarized mainly from publica- 

 tions of the Bureau of Soils of this Department and of the Florida Experiment 

 Station. The principal facts brought out are briefly stated as follows: 



"(1) Most Florida soils are very deficient in plant food, and also in those 

 materials which, in clay soils, absorb or hold for the future use of the plant 

 the food that is applied in the form of fertilizers. 



" (2) On account of the almost entire absence of these binding materials, 

 the loss of soluble fertilizers, by leaching, is very great ; the loss from this 

 cause on the pineapple fields of the east coast being apparently over 60 per 

 cent of the amount applied. 



"(3) These same Florida soils, however, under careful cultivation and 

 liberal fertilizing produce abundant crops of the fruits, vegetal)les, and grains 

 that are adapted to this climate. 



"(4) In order, therefore, that his operations may be profitable, it is incum- 

 bent upon the Florida farmer and fruit grower to pursue such methods of 

 cultivation and 'fertilizer application as will, so far as possible, prevent this 

 loss." 



The rotation of crops sui)plemented by .npplication of fertilizers in order to 

 maintain the balance of fertility is explained, as well as the use of lime, 

 windbreaks, shading, barnyard manure and green manures, etc., to improve 

 the chemical and physical properties of the soils. 



Soils, B. C. Aston (A'eu- Zeal. Dept. Agr. Ann. Rpf.. 1.', (1906), pp. 10.5- 

 108). — Analyses with reference to volatile matter, total nitrogen, and available 

 (by Dyer's method) potash and phosphoric acid of 2.5 samples of soils from 

 different parts of New Zealand are reported with notes on acidity and other 

 characteristics of the soils. A plea is also made for the organization of a soil 

 survey similar to that conducted by this Department. 



The soils of the Muganj steppe and their transformation into alkali 

 lands by irrigation, N. Tulaykov and P. KossoviCH (Izv. Moscov. Selsk. 

 Khoz. Inst. {Ann. Inst. Ayron. Moscou), 12 (1906), No. 2, pp. 27-255, pis. 7, figs. 

 6, map 1). — This is the detailed report of work of which a review by S. Sacharov 

 was noted in E. S. R., 18, p. 426. The investigations reported were made in 

 1905 uuder the auspices of the Russian government, with a view to finding 

 means of preventing further formation of alkali soils in the region named. 



The investigations show that the soils of the region are generally poor in 

 humus (1 to 2 per cent) and nitrogen, but rich in soluble and zeolitic substances, 



