AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 829 



matorials, but the results obtained in culture tests were only in part confirmed 

 in tlic pot cxin'rinieiits. 



The results of the studies of iiitroKeu lixalion wcic (juite irrej^ular, but ayree 

 in general in iudit-atin.sjj tliat tlie addition ol' rcnllizing materials increased 

 nitrogen tixation and .that carbonate of lime favored nitrogen tixatiou to a 

 greater extent than burned lime. 



The bacteriological processes were aiiparently more active in the sandy loam 

 soil tlian in the red shale soil. 



Experiments on the liming' of meadow land, E. Porter and R. C. Gaut 

 (County Council Lancaster, Ed. Com., A(jr. Dcpt., Farmers' Bui. 1, pp. 9). — 

 Experiments on manured and unmanured grass lands are briefly reported. 

 The results show that ground limestone was more profitable as an application 

 to grass lands than burnt lime and can be economically used on grass lands 

 which are in need of lime. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, H. D. Haskins, E. T. Ladd, and W. B. 

 Dickinson (Massachusetts .S7«. Bui. 119, pp. 6.'i). — This is the usual report of 

 results of fertilizer inspection during the season of 3907, including also notes 

 on methods of sampling, descriptions of the different classes of fertilizers 

 cxaniined, trade "values of fertilizing ingredients, and exi)lauations of com- 

 mercial and agricultural values, and the text of a recent amendment to the 

 fertilizer law of 1896. This amendment gives the station authority to state 

 the dealer's cash price per ton of fertilizers, the value per ton of the ingredi- 

 ents of the fertilizers, and the percentage difference between dealer's price and 

 valuation. 



Analyses and valuations of commercial fertilizers and ground bone, C. S. 

 Catiicart. y. J. Cauherry, and J. Gaub (Xciv Jersey Htas. Bui. 208, pp. S'l). — 

 This bulletin supplements Bulletin 206 of the stations (E. S. R., 19, p. 526) 

 and reports analyses of fertilizers made during that portion of the year not 

 covered by the previous bulletin. 



The total number of samples of fertilizing materials examined during the 

 year was 666, of which 482 were factory-mixed fertilizers representing the 

 product of 96 establishments. Forty-nine per cent of the brands examined 

 were deficient in one or more of the elements of plant food guaranteed. The 

 largest number of deficiencies was in available phosphoric acid. Attention is 

 calletl to the fact that the value of nitrogen in nitrates was 2 cts. a pound 

 higher in 1907 than in 1906, of nitrogen in organic matter 2 to 2^ cts. per 

 pound higher, while in case of sulphate of annnonia the jn-ice remained 

 unchanged. ^Yater-soluble and citrate-soluble phosphoric acid increased i ct. 

 per pound and the cost of various forms of potash remained unchanged. 



The fisheries of Alaska in 1906, .T. N. Cobb and II. M. Kutchin (Dept. Com. 

 and Labor \ U. .S'.], Bur. Fisheries Doc. 618, pp. 70). — This report contains statis- 

 tics and observations on the fisheries and fishery resources of ,\laska based upon 

 the annujil inspection of the Bureau of Fisheries. A section of the report deals 

 with the jiossihility of using cannery waste and fish not fit for food in the prep- 

 aration of fertilizers. It is stated that but one concern is at jtresent engaged 

 in this business. The desirability of stringent laws and regulations jneventing 

 the use of food fish in the preparation of fertilizers is pointed out. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



The influence of the humidity of the air on the preservation of seed, E. Dr- 

 MOL'SSY (Conipt. Rend. Acad. Hci. [Baris], l'/.', {I'.Xn), No. :?',. pp. ] li)f,-U9G).— 

 The author placed a large variety of seeds in vessels containing air in varying 

 proportions of saturation, i. e., coini>lete saturation, and 0.8, 0.7, O.f), 0.:5, and 0.13 



