502 



this parasit'", he ailvauces the theory that when the hirviP are hatihed from eggs lai<J 

 on the backs of cattle they get into the cesophagus from the animals licking them- 

 selves. The parasites then bore into the wall of the oesophagus and thence after a 

 short time through the body of the host until they aiijtear under the skin on the 

 back. The jtresence of the grubs in the tESophagus was observed in cattle just 

 slaughtered and the grubs have several times been found at considerable distances 

 beneath the skin, but the fact of their migrating through the body has yet to be 

 proved by observation. (See Amer. Jour. Comp. Med. and Vet. Arch., June, 1S91.) 



A. Hassall has found in American cattle a large fluke which he proposes to call 

 Fasciola americana. This parasite is much larger than Z>(«/ohimhi /KyjnnoHm. (For a 

 (lescription of tlie new parasite see Amer. I'et. Review, July and September, 1891.) 



Belgium, — The Bulletin de V Agriculture, vol. vii, No. 7, contains the annual reports 

 for 1890 of the experiment station at Gembloux, and of the agricultural laboratories 

 at Liege, Ghent. Hasselt, Gembloux, Mous, Antwerp, and Louvain. The report of the 

 station contains the titles of the articles published in 1890. as follows: Contribution 

 to the Problem of Nitrogen; Experiment on the Decomposition of the Silicates 

 of Arable Soil by the Oxide and Sulphate of Calcium; Clover Hay, Brown Hay, 

 ;ind Dry Dirt'usion Chips of Sugar Beets; Chemical and Botanical Analyses of some 

 IJelgiau Hops; Meteorological Observations; The Chemical Examination of Soils; 

 Experiment on the Assimilability of Phosphatic Slag. The fir.st four of these 

 articles were published in Bulletins Nos. 47 and 48 of the station. The investigations 

 in progress are, experiments reganling the relation of atmospheric nitrogen to plant 

 nutrition; study on the composition of the air ami of rain water iu their rela- 

 t ions to vegetation ; experiments regarding the best time to apjdy Bordeaux mixture 

 lor potato rot, and whether iron in some form can not be substituted for the copper 

 iu this mixture; continuation of the inquiry on the starch content of different 

 varieties of potatoes ; continuation of the chemical examination of Belgian soils; 

 study of the different methods used in the chemical and physical analysis of soils, 

 and meteorological observations. 



The agricultural laboratories are engaged in the analysis of fertilizers, foods, feed- 

 ing stuffs, beverages, sugar beets, soils, etc., with and without control. 



Treatment of soils with soluble kluokink compounds. — In view of recent 

 discoveries concerning the antiseptic vahie of hydrofluoric acid in the manufacture 

 of alcohol, the following contribution from the Briissels Socie'te generate de Maltose 

 on the treatment of cultivated soils with soluble fluorine compounds is of interest: 

 Small doses of fluorine were fouiul to V)e of advautagt? in malting barley, botli in 

 preventing spoiling and in aiding germination. At first the grain was soakeil in 

 water acidified with hydrofluoric acid, by which process a small amount of fluorine 

 was absorbed and the seed was at once tested with reference to its germinating 

 ]>ower. Later it was found that the benelieial effect on germination was the same 

 whether the seed was tested immediately after treatment with the hydrofluoric acid 

 water or kept for a time, provided the seed had absorbed minute r|uanfities of fluor- 

 ine. This latter result led to the suggestion that the fluorine might be introduced 

 into the seed through the plant in a more natural way fty ai)plying fluorine com- 

 liounds to the soil. This forms the basis of the claim for a patent. For this pur- 

 pose all soluble fluorine compounds are said to be available, but the fluorides of 

 potassium, sodium, and anunonium. as well as potassio-sodiuin fluoride are said to be 

 preferable. Only a limited application is recommended, as an excess would be more 

 likely to prove disastrous than advantageous to the plants. The fluoride must be 

 thoroughly and evenly distributed throughout the soil. It may be applied dry with 

 tlie fertilizer, or a solution of.'^ to 10 grams in 100 liters of water may be sprinkled on 

 the soil. The latter plan is given the preference, as it insures a more even distribu- 

 tion of the fluorine. Tlie kernels of grain raiseil in soil thus treated absorbed O.OOi? 

 per cent of their weight of fluorine salts; and this minute quantity proved sufiicieut 



