METEOKOLOGY — WATER. 317 



county in Scotland is represented by one or more stations. . . . Tlie out- 

 standing features of tlie year were the high level at which the barometer stood 

 for long periods during the first 10 months, the large amount of mild or warm 

 weather experienced, and the remarkable rainfall shortage in some eastern 

 districts." 



The chemistry of rare rain (Lancet [London], 1912, I, No. 19, p. 1291). — 

 Examinations of rain which fell in London after a 5 weeks' drought, the sample 

 being taken about 1 hour after the rain began to fall, showed 0.525 gr. of 

 ammonia per gallon of water. This is about seven times more than is found in 

 rain collected under normal conditions. 



The fertilizing' value of rain and snow, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms 

 Rpts. 1911, pp. 200, 201). — This is a report on the fourth year's work on this 

 subject (E. S. R., 24, p. 417), covering the year ended February 28, 1911. The 

 precipitation during this year was 26.97 in., about 10 in. below the average for 

 the locality. The total nitrogen per acre brought down by rain and snow was 

 5.27 lbs., about 84 per cent being furnished by the rain and 16 per cent by snow. 

 Of the total nitrogen, 3.73 lbs. was in the form of free and albuminoid ammonia 

 and 1.54 lbs. as nitrates and nitrites. 



Observations on the ground water level, F. Vogel (Mitt. Deut. Landio. 

 GeselL, 21 (1912), No. 23, pp. 328-S30, figs. 4).— The importance from the stand- 

 point of water supply, drainage, etc., of systematic observations on the level of 

 the ground water by means of tubes i)ut down in the soil, and methods of mak- 

 ing and interpreting such observations, are briefly discussed. 



Beport of progress of stream measurements for the calendar year 1910, 

 P. M. Saunder (Dcpt. Int. Canada, 8css. Paper No. 25d, 1912, pp. 2U, pis. 16).— 

 Descriptions of the stream and creek basins are given, the methods of procedure 

 outlined, and a large amount of tabulated data and stream measurements are 

 given. 



The water supply of farm homesteads, F. T. Shutt (Canada Expt. Farms 

 Rpts. 1911, pp. 201-206). — Analyses of 130 samples of water are reported, of 

 which 43 were considered wholesome, 36 suspicious, 33 seriously contaminated, 

 and 18 saline. 



Sterilization of drinking water by ultraviolet light, J. Cottrmont (Chem. 

 Ztg., 3.5 (1911), No. S7, p. 806; ahs. in Jour. Soe. Chem. Indus., SO (1911), No. 

 16, p. 1027; Chem. AVs., 6 (1912), No. 9, pp. 1190, 1191).— "The author dis- 

 cusses the remarkable sterilizing power of the ultraviolet light from a quartz 

 mercury vapor lamp. For sterilizing water, which is comparatively transparent 

 to the radiation, it is sufficient to place the lamp in the axis of a cylindrical 

 vessel 60 cm. in diameter. Liquids containing colloids (wine, beer, peptone 

 solution, etc.) absorb the ultraviolet rays rapidly, and therefore sterilization is 

 limited to the surface layer. It is therefore necessary that for greatest effi- 

 ciency the water to be sterilized must be as clear as possible. The action of 

 sterilization is in no way connected with ozone or hydrogen peroxid formation." 



Purification of water by Infusoria, C. S. Stokvis and N. H. Swellengrebei. 

 (Jour. Hyg. [Cambridge], 11 (1911), No. If, pp. 481-486; ahs. in Chem. Abs., 6 

 (1912), No. 9, p. 1191). — ^The investigations here briefly reported are sum- 

 marized as follows: 



" Infusoria have the same bactericidal power as flagellates. Emulsions con- 

 taining Bacillus typhosus. Vibrio cJvolerw, V.Dunbar, V.El Tor, B. megatherium, 

 and Spirillum volutans, to which Colpoda cucullus is added, are soon cleared. 

 Before the clearage the Colpodse multiply actively. 



" This bactericidal effect does not depend upon the production of toxic sub- 

 stances by the Infusoria. The fluid obtained from filtered cultures of the 



