METEOKOLOGY — WATER. 315 



cobs from the corn stalk in the milk stage instead of allowing them to mature 

 their grain. The object of doing this is to increase the saccharose content of 

 the stalk until it practically becomes a sugar cane. Coincident with this, as 

 a secondary result, it is claimed that there is very little deposition of the hard 

 siliceous matter which forms the outer coating of the maize stalk and becomes 

 incorporated with the peripheral fibers when the grain is allowed to ripen, 

 thereby preventing the best of the fibrous matter from being utilized for the 

 manufacture of pulp. In consequence of this, the whole substance of the stalk 

 is resolvable into pulp, and cellulose of the finest quality for par)er and for 

 all the higher u.ses for which cotton cellulose is now emploj^ed may be obtained. 



The author found, however, that " the sugar content of the cobbed and the 

 uncobbed plants examined was practically the same; in other words, that the 

 removal of the cob in the milky stage had no material influence upon the sugar 

 content of the stalk." 



See also previous note by Doby (E. S. R., 24, p. 707). 



The microscopy of certain paper pulps, T. F. Hanauskk (Papier Fahrilc, 

 9 (1911), No. .'i8, i)p. I'lU.'i, 1J,65, figs. 2; abs in Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 30 

 (1911), No. 2//, p. l-f/JiB). — This is a description of the microscopical character- 

 istics of paper pulps made from giant spear grass, which grows in the Terai 

 district of India, and Kaing grass, which has its habitat in the Indian monsoon 

 region. 



The microscopy of paper made from cane bagasse, T. F. Hanausek (Papier 

 Fahrik., 9 (1911), Sondcrausgabe, pp. 25-38, figs. 5; abs. in Internat. Sugar 

 Jour., 14 (1912), No. 157, pp. 55, 56, fig. 1). — A study of the microscopic char- 

 acteristics of paper made from cane bagasse. The article is illustrated. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Meteorology, W. 7. Milham (Neto York, 1012, pp. XVI+549, pis. l-i, figs. l-'fS, 

 charts 3-'f). — This is essentially a text-book embodying a revision of the junior 

 and senior elective course in meteorology delivered at Williams College during 

 the past 8 years. " The book is also intended for the general reader of scientific 

 tastes." Each chapter begins with a syllabus and ends with a list of refer- 

 ences. A bibliography is given in an appendix. 



The book " can hardly be called an elementary treatise, but it starts at the 

 beginning and no previous knowledge of meteorology itself is anywhere assumed. 

 It is assumed, however, that the reader is familiar with the great general facts 

 of science." No attempt is made to discuss mathematical meteorology, meteor- 

 ology applied to living things, meteorology and medicine, and the history of 

 meteorology. 



On the estimation of humidity in agricultural meteorology, M. Nebucev 

 (Khozuiistvo, 7 (1912), No. J/, pp. 89-95; abs. in Internat. Iiist. Agr. [Rome], 

 Bui. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 3 (1912), No. 4, pp. 862, S6J).— Eleven 

 years' observations on the relation of rainfall and yields of spring wheat gave 

 inconclusive results, indicating the impossibility of drawing absolute conclusions 

 from observations on a single factor. An important but often neglected factor is 

 '* the evaporating power of the soil and of plants, which is often two or three 

 times as great as the atmospheric precipitation. ... It is clear, therefore, how 

 this factor must be regarded in calculating the balance of moisture in the soil 

 available for plants. Zebediev has been led by his investigations to the opinion 

 that the aqueous vapors which condense on the ground are of much importance, 

 as they increase the reserve of subsoil water. Consequently, in studying the 

 action of moisture on plant life, it is necessary to examine the conditions which, 

 by accelerating or retarding the processes of condensation, determine the cir- 



