824 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



osmotic agent, and the concentration which a number of filaments of 

 Spirogyra survived after an exposure of 24 hours was regarded as the 

 measure of osmotic action which tbe alga can endure. This was found 

 to be about 0.75 gm. molecules per liter. 



Assuming the action of the other substances studied, which were 

 glycerin, potassium nitrate, and common salt, to be purely osmotic, 

 the concentrations calculated are glycerin, 0.75 gm. molecules per 

 liter; common salt, 0.47 gm., and potassium nitrate 0.45 gm. molecules 

 per liter. The limit of contraction for glycerin lies at a concentration 

 greater than that of tbe cell sap and probably causes death by osmotic 

 action. The limits of concentration for potassium nitrate and common 

 salt lie much below the point of the same osmotic action as the cell 

 sap and consequently they exert a pronounced toxic influence upon 

 Spirogyra. 



The acquisition of atmospheric nitrogen, W. M. Munson (Maine 

 Sta. Rpt. 1897, pp. 114-140).— A resume is given of the more important 

 literature relating to this subject. The author briefly describes experi- 

 ments conducted at the station on the practical application of soil 

 inoculation. A quantity of soja beans were planted in drills and with 

 the seed a number of tubercles from the previous year's crop at the 

 Connecticut Storrs Station were scattered. The plants from inoculated 

 soils were more stocky and of darker color than those in adjacent rows. 

 Those plants growing in the inoculated soils bore an abundant supply 

 of tubercles, while the others bore none. Inoculated plants were 

 taller and produced more abundant pods per plant than in those 

 grown in the uninoculated soil. 



A limited trial of Nitragin for the common pea was made in which 

 there was no appreciable effect from the use of the material. Tuber- 

 cles developed abundantly on both lots, which was rather to be expected 

 since peas had been freely grown in the vicinity for many years. 



A bibliography of some of the more important papers to which the 

 author's attention has been called is appended. 



The second annual meeting of the Society for Plant Morphology and Physi- 

 ology, E. F. Smith (Amer. Nat., 33 (1899), No. 387, pp. 199-217).— Abstracts are given 

 of the papers presented at the second meeting of this society at New York, Decem- 

 ber, 1898. 



Notes on plants of the season, F. L. Harvey (Maine Sta. Rpt. 1897, pp. 179-184, 

 pl m iy — Brief notes are given of a number of weeds, and attention called to the 

 potato blight, strawberry- leaf blight, quince rust, and a blighting of maple leaves 

 which was due to the dry hot wind following moist warm weather when the leaves 

 were growing rapidly and in consequence quite tender. Notes are also given on 3 

 species of the stinkhorn fungi— Phallus dcemomum, P. impudivus, and Mutinus brevis. 



On the number of rice shoots, I. Inagaki (Imp. Univ. Col. Agr. [Tokyo] Bid., 

 Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 415-420).— -The author has deduced a formula by which to ascertain 

 the number of shoots to be expected from each grain in a given lot of seed, the 

 variations due to variety, climate, soil, manure, cultivation, etc., being considered. 

 When tested on about a dozen varieties of rice grown under varying conditions, the 

 greatest variation observed was 2.7 per cent, the calculated number being that much 

 too great. 



