296 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and by Fritz Zerl);ui and W. I*. Naquin on the determination of snlplmrous 

 acid in molasses. 



The work on medicinal plants and drugs, submitted by the referee, L. F. 

 Kebler, Lad been extended to methods for the assay of aconite leaves and root, 

 belladonna leaves and root, cinchona bark, cocoa leaves, and colchicum crowns 

 and seeds. F. P. Veitch, referee on tannin, reported that the work had been 

 confined to a comparative study of the filtration of soluble solids through folded 

 filter papers of high and ordinary grades. Cooperative work on soils was 

 reported I)v the referee, J. H. Pettit. mainly in continuation of that undertaken 

 the previous year. 



The referee on inorganic plant constituents, W. W. Skinner, reported results in 

 comparison of the determination of total sulphur by the peroxid and combus- 

 tion methods. G. S. Fraps presented results obtained at the Texas Station in 

 the study of the phosphoric acid of the soil. 



The rep(n-t of the referee on phosphoric acid, B. W. Kilgore, dealt with the 

 determination of basic slag. A paper entitled Preliminary Studies on the 

 Analysis of Basic Slag for Available Phosphoric Acid was also presented by 

 H. D. Raskins. The associate referee, J. M. McCandless, reported results of co- 

 operative investigations on methods for determining iron and aluminum in 

 phosphatic rock. 



A. L. Kniseley, referee on pota.'^h. and B. B. Ross, associate referee, reported 

 that work had been restricted to a study of the volumetric method for de- 

 termining potash. R. J. Davidson, referee on insecticides, submitted a report on 

 methods for London iiurple, soda lime, formaldehyde, sulphur in sulphur dips, 

 and lead arsenate. L. F. Kebler reported for the committee on testing chemical 

 reagents, and William Frear for that on food standards. 



A report on the president's address of the preceding year was presented by 

 L. L. Van Slyke for the committee to which it had been referred, and adopted 

 by the association. 



The committee on fertilizer legislation recommended, through II. W. Wiley, 

 that no action be taken at present toward attempting to obtain the enactment of a 

 national fertilizer law, but that efforts be directed toward securing an agreement 

 among State officials as to the fundamental definitions of misbranding and adul- 

 teration and as to the proper method of tiigging, branding, and stating the re- 

 sults of analysis. Tentative definitions of these terms were submitted. It was 

 further reconnnended that an attempt be made to secure agreement between the 

 State orticials and the manufacturers as to the method of referring to the crude 

 sources of plant food in fertilizers, and that the committee be continued for this 

 purpose with instructions to perfect, if possible, a measure satisfactory to the 

 interests involved. 



L. M. Tolman submitted a report from the committee on revision of methods. 

 The methods as revised and compiled had been printed as Bulletin 107 of the 

 Bureau of Chemistry, distributeil to referees and others prior to the meeting, 

 and further edited as the result of suggestions received. The methods as pub- 

 lished in the bulletin with these corrections were adopted by the association as 

 ofiicial and provisional. The conunittee was continued and further empowered 

 to make such changes during the year as were deemed necessary, subject to the 

 approval of the executive conunittee. At the expiration of the year this iK)wer 

 is to be lodged with the new permanent committee on recommendations. 



The committee on unification of terms recommended that the nomenclature 

 now in use for fertilizers, soils, ash, etc., be retained, but that the association 

 vote upon the advisability of permitting the use of a dual system of nomencla- 

 ture when desira1)le, with a view to the ultimate adoption of the element system. 

 After consideraI)le discussion a resolution was adopted approving the attitude 



