METEOEOLOGY — WATER. 715 



(1912), No. 1, pp. 59-61; ubs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. Biophijs., U (1918), No. 22, 

 p. 837).— This deals with the preparation of nicotinic acid from fat-free bran. 

 About 1 gm. of acid per liilogram of bran was obtained. 



Presence of barium and arsenic in tobacco, R. Spallino {Qaz. Chim. Ital., 

 43 (1918), II, No. 4, pp. 475-481).— The amount of barium in 3 samples of snufE 

 and 3 samples of smol^ing tobacco dried at 100° C. varied between 0.019 and 

 0.036 per cent, calculated as barium sulphate. In 4 samples of smoking to- 

 bacco and 3 of snuff the arsenic ranged from 0.08 to 1.02 mg. per 100 gm. of 

 dry substance. It is suggested that in purchasing tobacco its arsenic content 

 may well be considered, since arsenicals are used extensively, especially in the 

 United States, for spraying tobacco. 



EfEects of varying certain cooking condit^^ 3 in producing soda pulp from 

 aspen, H. E. Sueface (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 80 (1914), pp. 63, pis. 9, figs. 20).— 

 "Although the soda process of wood-pulp manufacture is not employed com- 

 mercially to so great an extent in America as the sulphite and mechanical 

 processes, it is remarkably well adapted for producing pulp fibers from any 

 kind of wood or other fibrous vegetable material, no matter how resistant to 

 chemical attack it may be. For this reason it is much used in the experi- 

 mental work of the Forest Service. . . . 



" It was to secure and make available detailed information which would both 

 facilitate other experimental work in the laboratory and promote the efficiency of 

 commercial plants employing the soda process that the series of tests discussed 

 in this bulletin was undertaken. They were carried out at the Forest Products 

 Laboratory maintained by the Forest Service at Madison, Wis., in cooperation 

 with the University of Wisconsin. 



" The report of the experimental work is prefaced by a short description of 

 the soda process and a review of pi'evious investigations. Some general com- 

 ments on aspen as a raw material for soda pulp and on the pulp itself are found 

 in the appendix. This species of poplar was selected as the test material be- 

 cause it is the most important soda pulpwood. The information secured, how- 

 ever, is of much value also in connection with the cooking of other woods." 



The practical results obtained, which are described and discussed, " show in 

 detail the effect of certain cooking conditions on the yields and properties of 

 the resultant pulp, on the efficiency of the cooking chemicals, and on various 

 items affecting costs of production. From a study of these results it should 

 be possible for a mill operator so to regulate the cooking process as to secure 

 the largest possible yield of pulp of the desired quality at a minimum cost for 

 chemicals, fuel, labor, and overhead charges in so far as the operation is 

 affected by the cooking conditions considered. 



" The clear, sound wood used in the experiments afforded yields of good 

 pulp from 10 to 25 per cent higher than the better run of the yields reported 

 by pulp mills. Moreover, some of these experimental yields were obtained with 

 shorter cooking periods and less chemicals than are employed commercially. 

 Although the laboratory results may not be equaled in mill practice, the possi- 

 bility of greatly increased efficiency in the process of converting wood into soda 

 pulp Is indicated." 



A bibliography is appended. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



International catalogue of scientific literature. F — Meteorology (Inteimat. 

 Cat. Sci. Lit., 11 (1914), pp. VIII+245).— ''The literature Indexed is mainly 

 that of 1911, but includes those portions of the literature of 1901-1910 in regard 



