824 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



process. The conditions are said to be unusually favorable to such a project, 

 namely, abundant water power and unlimited limestone near at hand. It is 

 also close to the Punjab, the great grain-growing region of India, which is in 

 great need of a cheap nitrogenous fertilizer. 



Comparative fertilizer tests of Thomas slag and agricultural phosphate, 

 L. Pechmann and Clausen (Filhliiiy's Landic. Ztg., oo {1906), No. 24, pp. 855- 

 S57 : Deut. Laufhr. Pressc, 3'i {1901), JVo. 3, p. 17). — The results of experiments 

 liy different investigators are briefly sunmiarized. 



On the stability of Thomas-amm.onium-phosphate lime, M. Schmoeger 

 and L. von Wissell {Fiihling's Landw. Ztg., 56 {1907), No. 1, pp. 1-6). — The 

 authors found that this material as prepared by the usual process of mixing 

 Thomas slag, ammonium sulphate, and lime waste from beet-sugar factories 

 loses a considerable amount of its nitrogen in a comparatively short time. By 

 adding about 5 per cent of calcium chlorid or 3 per cent of dried carnallite, this 

 loss was entirely jirevented. 



Comparative fertilizer tests with Thomas slag and agricultural phosphate, 

 Bachmann {Mitt. Deut. Landic. GeselL, 21 {1906), No. 51, pp. .',83-485 ).— Re- 

 plying to a previous article by Clausen (E. S. R., 18, p. 620). the author presents 

 further data to show that under, proper conditions agricultural phosphate is a 

 very effective fertilizer. The principal of these conditions are good mechanical 

 condition of the soil, a sufhcient supply of humus, and thorough distribution of 

 the phosphate in the soil. The use of barnyard manure with the phosphate 

 also increases its effectiveness, and conditions which promote the growth of 

 bacterial flora in the soil favor assimilation of the ])li()sphnte. 



Comparative fertilizer tests of agricultural phosphate and Thomas slag, 

 Clausen {Mitt. Dent. Landw. GeselL, 22 {1907), No. 4, pp. 26-28). — A reply to 

 an article by Bachmann already noted (E. S. R., 18, p. 621), in which the author 

 maintains that the use of aunnonium sulphate in connecti(m with Thomas slag 

 and agricultural phosphate results in an over valuation of the i)hosphoric acid 

 in the agricultural iihosphate and under valuation of that in Thomas slag. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Distribution and adaptation of the vegetation of Texas, W. L. Bray (Bui. 

 Vniv. Texas, Sei. iSer. No. 10, pp. 112, pis. l), figs. ,'/). — This bulletin was pre- 

 pared by the author with the desire of presenting to teachers a point of view 

 from which to study the vegetation of the State, which is not supplied by present 

 publications. In the bulletin the vegetation of Texas is considered as a whole 

 from the standpoint of its relation to environment. The various factors of plant 

 environment and how they affect plants are described, consideration being given 

 to water, temperature, light, atmosphere, and edaphic and biological factors. 

 After discussing the environmental factors, the author describes the various 

 plant societies which he recognizes as occurring in the Texas region. 



The relation between the osmotic strength, of cell sap in plants and 

 their physical environment, E. and Hilda Drabble {Bio-Chem. Jour., 2 

 {1907), No. 3, pp. 117-132). — In a previous publication the authors gave a pre- 

 liminary statement regarding the osmotic strength of sap in plants growing 

 imder different conditions (E. S. R., 18, p. 127). Their investigations have been 

 continued, so that 48 plants have been studied from quite a range of environ- 

 ment, including bogs, gardens, woods, moorland and mountains, sand dunes, 

 brackish water, and salt marshes, and the relation between environment and 

 strength of the cell sap in the different plants has been clearly established. 



The authors in summarizing their investigations show that the osmotic 

 strength of cell sap is least in submerged fresU-water plants and greatest in 



