510 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.36 



isotherms of 10 and 20° were farther south in the cotton belt in 1916 than in 

 1915, as were also the lines of 32 and 40° in Florida." 



Frosts of 1916 (V. S. Dept. Aar., Nat. Weather and Crop Bui. 31 {1916), p. 2, 

 pi. 1). — Two charts showing dates of occurrence of the last killing frost in 

 spring and the first in autumn are given and briefly discussed. 



The last killing frost in spring occurred at an earlier date than the average 

 in Texas, eastern Arkansas, southern Tennessee, the upper Mississippi Valley, 

 States immediately north of the Ohio River, and the Middle and North Atlantic 

 States. It was later than usual in South Carolina, Georgia, and northeastern 

 Florida. " In most portions of the Atlantic States north of Georgia and gen- 

 erally in the States around Lake Michigan killing frosts during the present 

 autumn occurred at a later date than the average; but in most of the central 

 Gulf States and Texas, and generally in the Great Valley of California, killing 

 frost occurred somewhat earlier than usual." 



Report of the meteorolog'ical service [of Canada], R. F. Sttjpaet {Proc. 

 and Tram. Roy. Soc. Canada, 3. scr., 10 {1916), App. C, pp. LXXXIII-CI).— 

 This is a summary account of the work of the service in the physics branch, 

 agricultural meteorology, terrestrial magnetism, and seismology during 1916, 

 with a record of phenological observations in the different Provinces of Canada 

 during 1915. 



The meteorological olfice of Argentina, G. G. Davis {Min. Agr. Argentina, 

 Mem. Cong. Nac.. 1914-15 pp. 251-324). — This article briefly reviews the history 

 of this office, which is a bureau of the ministry of agriculture of Argentina, 

 and gives its status at the end of 1915, special attention being given to the 

 subject of hydrometric and magnetic observations. It contains a complete list 

 of stations and observers, showing that at the end of 1915 there were 42 stations 

 of the first class, 156 of the second, 12 of the third, and 1,930 of the fourth, 

 making a total of 2,140 stations of all classes. 



The climate of France, G. Bigourdan (Le Climat de la France. Paris: 

 Gatithier-Villars d Co., 1916, pp. 135, figs. 61; rev. in Rev. G^n. Sci., 27 {1916), 

 No. 22, pp. 663, 664). — This book, based upon the work of the Central Meteorologi- 

 cal Bureau of France, shows the mean values and daily, monthly, and annual 

 variations, as well as the extremes of the principal meteorological elements — 

 temperature, pressure, and wind — for each place in France where observations 

 have been taken. 



The oscillation of climate in southeast Russia, A. Tol'skii (A. Tolsky) 

 {Zhur. Opytn. Agron. {Jour. Agr. Expt.) It {1916), No. 4, pp. 255-211, figs. 2).— 

 A certain periodicity of dry and hot and moist and temperate seasons in this 

 region during the nineteenth century is noted and discussed. 



Influence of the weather on the use by plants of fertilizers, H. R. Chbisten- 

 SEN {Tidsskr. Planteavl, 23 {1916), No. 2, pp. 251-288). — Experiments showed 

 that the meteorological conditions of the year influenced greatly the absorption 

 of fertilizers by plants. The absorption of mineral fertilizers, such as sodium 

 nitrate alone or in addition to manure, was less the more favorable the meteor- 

 ological conditions were for plant growth, indicating that in years when the 

 weather conditions were such as to increase the absorption of the nutritive 

 substances of manure, the plants needed less the nutritive substances contained 

 in the mineral fertilizers. 



SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 



Measurements of soil fertility, W. H. Joedan {New York State Sta. Bui. 424 

 (1916), pp. 389-412). — This bulletin reports the results of chemical analyses and 

 vegetation tests of nine unlike soils brought to the station from different parts 



