AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 709 



and by giving it plenty of time to drain. Butter of a high moisture content can 

 be obtained by churning longer at a higher temperature until the granules are 

 large and by churning the butter in the wash water. Water sticks to soft 

 butter but it is easily pressed out of cold butter." 



Analyses of miscellaneous materials, L. L. Van Slyke (Xcw York State 

 Sta. Bill. 29J. 1)1). J3o-3U'>). — Chemical analyses of materials connectetl with 

 agriculture, made for individual farmers in New York for a number of years, 

 have resulted in an accumulation of a considerable amount of data of this 

 natiire. Itepresentative cases which are believed to be of interest are published 

 iu this bulletin. 



The materials include ashes, dried blood, nitrate of soda, meat meal and tank- 

 age, potash salts, muck soils, the fertilizer constituents of miscellaneous mate- 

 rials, constituents of miscellaneous feeding stuffs, molasses refuse, conunercial 

 gruels, poultry foods, maple sugar, homemade cider vinegar, and dried apples. 

 In connection with the analytical data, such facts as would add interest to the 

 results of analyses are given so far as information regarding the samples could 

 be obtained. 



A new soil sampler, W. H. Stevenson {loica Sta. Bui. 9'i, i)p. 31, figs. 17). — 

 The construction and operation of a soil sampler which makes it possible to 

 obtain in a comparatively short time a core of soil 3 in. in diameter and of any 

 desired depth up to 15 in. are described. 



" The sampler consists of an outer cylinder of steel, fitted at the lower end 

 with two sets of cutting teeth of tool steel; spiral grooves are milled on the 

 outer side of this cylinder which serve to give increased cleaning capacity to 

 the sampler. 



"A steel cylinder, with an inside diameter of a little more than 3 in. and with 

 a guide rod 19 in. in length, fits snugly within the outer cylinder. This inner 

 cylinder does not turn with the cylinder which carries the cutting teeth, but is 

 held rigidly in place ... A cylinder made of heavy galvanized sand screen 

 with S meshes to the inch is placed inside of the inner steel cylinder. ... As 

 the outer cylinder bores into the soil and separates a core of soil from the soil 

 mass, the inner steel cylinder, carrying the wire cylinder, is carried downward 

 at a rate uniform with that of the outer cylinder and the core of soil is pushed 

 with but little friction and in an unbroken condition into the wire cylinder. 

 \Vhen a sample of soil has been secured to the desired depth, the sampler is 

 withdrawn and the wire cylinder, which contains the core of soil, is removed 

 from the machine. When the soil sampler is in operation, it is held rigidly in 

 position by a wooden frame, which is supported on four legs." 



The sampler is especially adapted to taking samples of soil for the determina- 

 tion of A'olume, weight, moisture content, water-holding capacity, permeability 

 to water or air, capillary movement of water, and other physical characteristics. 

 Methods of treating the soil cores (coating with parathn, etc.) in the laboratory 

 for such determinations as these are described, and the results of a number of 

 these determinations are reported. 



The advantages claimed for the apparatus are " the I'apidity with which 

 samples can be secured, the unchanged physical condition of the core of soil, 

 and its adaptability for the determination of the physical characteristics of the 

 soil." 



New apparatus for determining specific gravity, H. Kkbenstorfb' {Sitzbcr. 

 u. Abhandl. Natunc. GcscU. /sis, Dresden, 1907, Abhandl., pp. 8-/7, figs. 3). — 

 The author describes a dlsjjlacement apparatus, a floating balance with centi- 

 gram spindle, and a differential areo-pykuometer, for use in determining the 

 specific gravity of various substances. 



