448 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOBD. [VoL 36 



Scientific national forestry for New Zealand, D. E. Hutchins {Jour. Agr. 

 [New Zeal.], 13 (1916), Nos. 4, pp. 295-317, figs. 4; 5, pp. 375-396, figs. 4).— An ac- 

 count of the forests and forest conditions in New Zealand, with suggestions rela- 

 tive to the development of scientific forestry in the dominion. The subject 

 matter is based upon the author's investigations on behalf of the government 

 relative to the forests and forestry in New Zealand. 



Annual return of statistics relating to forest administration in British 

 India for the year 1914—15 (Statis. Forest Admin. Brit. India, 1914-15, pp. 

 25, pi. 1). — A statistical report relative to alterations in forest areas, progress 

 of forest settlements, forest surveys, working plans, forest protection, planting 

 operations, yields in major and minor forest products, revenues, expenditures, 

 etc. Data are also given showing the revenue, expenditure, and surplus during 

 the 25 years from 1890-91, together with a diagram showing the annual forest 

 revenue, expenditure, and surplus for the 10 years, 1905-6 to 1914-15. 



Snow injury to trees, G. B. Rigg (Torreya, 16 (1916), No. 12, pp. 257-260).— 

 Observations on mechanical injury by snow to evergreen trees in the Puget 

 Sound region during the winter of 1915-16 are given. The most striking fact 

 observed was the large amount of injury to needle-leaf evergreens and the small 

 amount of injury to broad-leaf evergreen trees and shrubs. 



Forest fires in the United States in 1915, J. G. Petebs (U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Office Sec. Circ. 69 (1917), pp. 6). — This circular presents the results of the 

 first attempt to secure annual estimates of all forest fires in the United States. 

 Thirty-seven States sent in returns which represent approximately 56 per cent 

 of the forest area of the country. Tabular data are given showing the number 

 and causes of fires reported in 1915, with the area burned over, and the amount 

 of damage, and also an estimate for the territory from which no reports were 

 received. 



The actual losses on the 177,500,000 acres of Federal and private lands within 

 the National Forest boundaries was $353,389 and the estimated loss on all other 

 forest lands in the United States is given as $6,755,967. Within the National 

 Forest boundaries 279,245 acres were burned over, as compared with an esti- 

 mate of 5,627,405 acres on all other forest lands. 



Forest insurance against fixes in Finland, E. Ntlandek (Skogsvdrdsfor. 

 Tidskr., 14 (1916), No. 8, pp. 625-628). — A short account of forest fire insurance 

 in Finland, which was originated In 1914 and met with great success, a sum 

 of 85,000,000 marks ($16,405,000) being the immediate amount insured for. 



Better apparatus for forest fire fighting, H. C. Johnson (Canad. Forestry 

 Jour., 13 (1917), No. 1, pp. 896-899, figs. 7).— Some successful results with a 

 portable engine pump in fighting forest fires in Quebec are briefly discussed. 



DISEASES OF PLANTS. 



Plant diseases, J. P. Anderson (Alaska Stas. Rpt. 1915, pp. S9-4i). — Notes 

 are given on the occurrence of diseases of a number of economic plants grown 

 In the trial grounds of the Sitka Station. 



Mycology, F. J. F. Shaw (Ann. Rpt. Bd. Sci. Advice India, 1914-15, pp. 104- 

 109). — At Pusa it was found that although the ufra disease of rice can lie 

 dormant in the soil and infect the young plants, cutting the diseased rice and 

 burning It in place with a little kerosene oil prevented infection of the next 

 crop. A rice disease at Balasore and at Banklpore could not be traced to any 

 parasitic agent. Gwa-bo, which caused extensive damage in Burma, was in- 

 vestigated with no very definite result, Sclerotium oryzm appearing in about 

 half the cases but probably not as a primary cause, and several insects as more 

 probably causative in many cases. 



