128 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



perature of the nutrient solution and the temperature at which the mycelium 

 became frozen. With the nutrient solution at --0.5°, the mycelium froze at 0°, 

 while with the nutrient solution at — 2.6° the mycelium was able to withstand 

 a temperature of — 10°. 



The author claims that, so far as his experiments with Aspergillus go, the 

 theory of Miiller-Thurgau and :Molisch that freezing depends on the formation 

 of ice within the plant tissue, and consequently a dehydration of the cell plasma, 

 does not hold. 



Investigations on the effect of formaldehyde gas on green plants, V. Grafe 

 and L. von I'oktheim (Ostcn: Bot. Ztschr., 59 {1909), Nos. 1, pp. 19-25; 2, pp. 

 66-7 'f, fig. 1). — Studies were made with seedlings and twigs of a number of 

 plants placed under bell jars in atmospheres with and without formaldehyde 

 gas and the effect of the gas on growth determined after an interval of from 

 7 to IG days. 



In the case of bean seedlings the hypocotyl and internodes were longer and 

 better developed in the plants grown without formaldehyde gas, while the 

 epicotyl and primordial leaves were longer and broader with those receiving the 

 gas than in the normal or check lots. They also differed very considerably in 

 shape. The roots of the beans were decidedly shorter and less developed than 

 when grown under normal conditions. 



The authors found that formaldehyde gas apparently stimulated an abnormal 

 development in 4he primordial leaves. For those organs well supplied with 

 chlorophyll, it appeared to induce greater development, but whether it was only 

 a stimulus or was actually assimilated by the plants the authors were unable to 

 determine. In small quantities formaldehyde gas does not appear to be inju- 

 rious to green plants. 



Experiments on the effect of flue dust on grass, E. Haseliioff {Lnndw. 

 Vers. 8tat.. 69 (1908), No. 5-6, pp. //77-//82). — A study was made to determine 

 the effect of the fumes from some blast furnaces and chemical works on grasses. 

 Plats were sown to grass mixtures, and from December to February at intervals 

 of 2 weeks the plats were dusted over, with mixtures representing the flue dust 

 from the different works, as shown by analyses. In addition to the flue dust 

 plats were dusted with calcium sulphid. sodium sulphid. and sodium sulphate. 

 Three cuttings of the grass were made during the season and 2 days after each 

 cutting a dusting with the mixtures was again made to each plat. 



The total dry weight of the grass for each plat is shown, and from this it is 

 apparent that flue dust is injurious, especially to the second and thiixl crops. 

 Analyses of the ash are also reported which show a higher ash content and 

 decided increases in the percentage of sulphuric acid present in the grass on the 

 treated plats. 



Apparatus and expedients in the bacteriological laboratory, S. DeM. 

 Gage (Tcclniol. Quart., 21 (190S). No. //, /)/). 508-521. fl'r/s. 7). — Descriptions are 

 given of various devices that are in use in the bacteriological laboratory under 

 the author's direction, among them methods of cleaning apparatus and labeling 

 media, apparatus for calibrating pipettes, automatic apparatus for filling dilu- 

 tion bottles, a case used for shipping samples of water for bacteriological analy- 

 sis, a thermo-regulator, and incubators. 



International catalogue of scientific literature. E. — Bacteriology {Inter- 

 nat. Cat. Sci. Lit., 6 {1909). pp. rin+lOJ,0).—A list of over 9.000 titles to bac- 

 teriological literature is given, the arrangement being similar to that described 

 in previous reports (E. S. R., 19, p. 427). The literatui-e indexed is mostly that 

 of 190G, although many earlier papers omitted in previous volumes are cited. 

 The American literature still remains very inadequately represented. 



