AGRIOUT/rUKAT. BOTANY. 1127 



Commercial fertilizers, J. S. Buku (Califoniia Sla. liul. l!>',, />/*. I61~18S). — 

 The results of fertilizer inspection in California during the first half of the 

 fiscal year 1907-8 are reported in this bulletin. Of the 241 samples examined, 

 56 were deficient in one or mon> of the fertilizing constituents guarantied. 

 "According to the sworn returns of dealers registered for the fiscal year ending 

 June 30, 1907, their entire sales iu the State amounted to 21,647 tons." 



Inspection and analyses of commercial fertilizers on sale in the State, 

 W. F. Hand kt al. {Mississiijpi i<t(i. Bui. 105, pp. .7'/).— The results are 

 reported of analyses of 500 samples inspected during the season of 1900-7. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, II. J. Wateks (Missouri >^ta. Huh 77, 

 pp. IJ/). — This bulletin contains a rejiort of analyses of commercial fertilizers 

 collected during the fall of 1900 and al«o a financial statement of the fertilizer 

 control for the year 1906. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, P. F. Trowbridge {Missouri *S7«. Bui. 

 78, pp. l-'i). — This bulletin gives the results of analyses of samples of commer- 

 cial fertilizers collected during the season of 1907 with a financial statement 

 for the same year. 



The inspection of commercial fertilizers in 1907, F. W. Morse and B. E. 

 CuBRY {Xeiv Hampshire Sta. Bui. IS.',, pp. 77-8-J). — This bulletin reports analy- 

 ses of 106 samples, representing 94 brands of fertilizers, examined by the station 

 for the State board of agriculture. " Twenty brands were deficient in one or 

 more constituents to an extent which would lower their value below that of 

 the guaranty." 



The calculation of equivalent manurial values, G. C. Phillips {Mark Lane 

 Express, 97 {1907), Kos. 3978, p. 772; 3979, p. 798; 98 {19()8), Nos. 3980, p. JO; 

 8981, p. 3'/).— This article discusses the practical use of the tables compiled by 

 Lawes and Gilbert and revised by Voelcker and Hall as a basis for paying out- 

 going tenants for fertility added to the soil in form of purchased feeds, etc., 

 during their incumbency of the land. The data given in these tables are pre- 

 sented in a different form by the author, who discusses in some detail their 

 use under a variety ot conditions. The compensation for fertility added to the 

 soil by a tenant is reouired in England by parliamentary act of 1SS3, amended 

 in 19(J«;. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Heredity and environic forces, D. T. MacDougal {Science, n. ser,, 27 {1908), 

 No. 682. pp. 121-128). — In this paper, which was given as an address before 

 the section of l>otany of the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, the author jiresents an acccamt of his exi)eriments in influencing varia- 

 tion in plants by the injection of chemical solutions into the ovaries of the plant 

 prior to the fertilization of the fiowers. His preliminary results, which have 

 already been noted (E. S. R., 17, p. 1147), were so striking that the experiments 

 have been continued and extended. 



In 1906 experiments were conducted on (TJnotJiera biennis. Of the various 

 test plants, one, which had been treated with a solution of zinc suli)hate, pro- 

 duced a seed which develoi)ed into a i)lant strikingly unlike the parent plant, 

 and has since transmitted its new characteristics through 3 generations. 



Experiments were afterwards carried on with 9 species representing 7 genera 

 of plants, which were found growing naturally about the Desert Laboratory 

 near Tucson. These were injected with solutions varying from 1 : 250 to 1 : 50,000 

 of calcium nitrate, potassium iodid, zinc sulphate, and methyl blue. Over 100,- 

 000 seeds were harvested from the treated ovaries of the different plants, some 

 of which were sown in August. 1907. As many of the species developed slowly, 

 the author was not prepared to make any definite annoimcement except to say 



