1024 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Phosphates for Europe, A, W. Thackara (Mo. Consular and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.]. 1907, A^o. 327, pp. 147-1^9). — Statistics are given of the amount and 

 price of fertilizing materials imported by Germany. It is stated that " Ger- 

 many imported in 1906 27,385 tons of artificial guano, poudrette, etc., 29,157 tons 

 of natural guano, 37,82.3 tons of bone meal, 193,896 tons of Thomas phosphate 

 meal, 531,195 tons of phosphates, 78,036 tons of superphosphate, and 20,687 

 tons of animal blood, manure, etc." Of the total amount (531,195 metric tons 

 valued at $7,443,926) of phosphates imported by Germany 293,119 metric tons 

 valued at $4,111,450 was supplied by the United States. By far the larger pro- 

 portion of the imports from this country consist of mineral phosphates, par- 

 ticularly Florida phosphate. 



Fertilizer inspection, C. D. Woods and J. M. Bartlett {Maine 8ta. Bui. 

 153, pp. 8-5-lOS). — This bulletin reports the results of analyses of manufactur- 

 ers' samples of fertilizers licensed to February 10, 1908. The bulletin also 

 contains a general discussion of the subject of fertility and plant food and 

 explanations regarding certain fertilizers sold in Aroostook County since 1906 

 which have fallen short of the guarantied composition. 



Fertilizers, C. S. Cathcart {Netv Jersey Stas. Rpt. 1907, pp. 21-27). — A brief 

 summary is given of the results of fertilizer inspection during 1907, the details 

 having already been reported in bulletins of the station (E. S. R., 19, pp. 526, 

 829). A table gives wholesale prices of the essential elements of plant food 

 for 1906 in New York City. 



During the year 666 samples of fertilizing materials were examined. Of 

 the comi>lete fertilizers 180 brands contained nitrogen in form of nitrates, 213 

 nitrogen in form of ammonia salts, and 83 nitrogen in both of these forms. 

 There were 264 failures to reach the guaranty, representing 215 brands, 40 

 brands being deficient in 2 and 4 brands in all 3 ingredients. The number of 

 deficiencies was 20.1 per cent of those possible. The average composition of the 

 fertilizers examined was total nitrogen 2.8 per cent, available phosphoric acid 

 7.45 per cent, and potash 5.86 per cent. The average valuation was $22.35 per 

 ton and the average selling price $28.31. 



Complete report on commercial fertilizers for 1907, J. H. Stewart and 

 B. H. HiTE (West Virginia Hta. Bid. 11), pp. 135-198). — This report gives the 

 results of examinations of 196 samples of fertilizers examined during the year, 

 with a di.scussion of the quiility of the fertilizers sold in the State. It includes a 

 strong protest against the low grade of many of the fertilizing materials offered 

 for sale in the State. 



Laws regulating the sale of commercial fertilizers in Massachusetts 

 (Massaehusetts Sta. Circ. 13, pp. '/). — This circular gives the text of the State 

 fertilizer law enacted in 1896, with an amendment, enacted in 1907, requiring 

 the publication of dealers' prices and valuation, together with regulations and 

 instructions adopted by the experiment station for the enforcement of the law. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Evaporation and plant development, B. E. Livingston {Plant World, 10 

 {1907), No. 12, pp. 269-276. fig. 1). — This is an abstract of a paper presented by 

 the author before the Conference on Acclimatization in New York in October, 

 1907. It gives a description of experiments carried on to determine the effect of 

 evaporation as a climatic factor. 



The experiments were conducted in soil that was kept nearly at its optimum 

 moisture and the plants used were garden nasturtiums, morning glories, mari- 

 golds, sunflowers, mustard, castor bean, muskmelon, teasel, and jimson weed. 

 The seeds were sown in May, and from that time the drought conditions in- 

 creased until into July, when the summer rains set in. 



