1917] AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY — AGROTECHNY. 611 



A contribution to the bacteriology of silage, J. M. Shekman (Jour. Buct., 

 1 (1916), Ao. 4, pp. H5-Ji52) .—Th^ author, at the Pennsylvania Experiment Sta- 

 tion, has observed the presence of large numbers (over a billion per cubic 

 centimeter of juice) of organisms which, though closely related to the Bacillus 

 bulgaricus group of milk and the B. acidophilus group of the intestines, appear 

 to differ somewhat from the typical members of these groups, notably by the 

 abundant growth on ordinary laboratory media. It is indicated that silage made 

 from corn is always amply seeded with these organisms, since the aciduric 

 bacilli of silage are constantly found in large numbers on corn fodder. 



See also a previous note by Hunter and Bushnell (E. S. R., 35. p. 9). 



Minutes of evidence taken before the Committee on Edible and Oil- 

 Producing Nuts and Seeds (Londcm: Colonial Office, 1916, pp. 233).— A de- 

 tailed account of the evidence presented to the departmental committee ap- 

 pointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to investigate the edible 

 and oil-producing nut and seed industry in West Africa and to make recom- 

 mendations for the promotion of industries dependent thereon. 



Report of Committee on Edible and Oil-Producing Nuts and Seeds; with 

 a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies (London: Colonial 

 Office, 1916, pp. Ifl). — This reports the findings of the committee from the 

 minutes of evidence as noted above. 



Watermelon seeds from the Sudan (Bui. Imp. Inst. [So. Kensington], 14 

 (1916), No. 2, pp. 160-162). —A sample of watermelon seeds (Citrullus vul- 

 garis) was found to contain 7.4 per cent moisture and 23.6 per cent of a 

 brownish-yellow oil. The oil yielded the following constants : Specific gravity 

 at 15° C, 0.923; solidifying point of fatty acids, 30.5° ; acid value, 8.4; saponi- 

 fication value, 191.4 ; iodin value, 117.1 ; Hehner value, 95.1. 



The press cake was found to have the following percentage composition : 

 Moisture, 9.5; protein, 18.3; fat, 0.5; starch (by difference), 26.9; fiber, 41.9; 

 ash, 2.9. From these figures the percentage composition of the original seed 

 was calculated and found to be moisture, 7.4; protein, 14; fat, 23.6; starch, 

 20.6; fiber, 32.2; and ash, 2.2. 



The value of the oil and the economic importance of its source is indicated. 

 The press cake is regarded as of little value because of its high fiber content. 



The essential oil of Cinnamomum oliveri or Brisbane sassafras, G. W. 

 Haegbeaves (Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 109 (1916), No. 646, pp. 751-754).— 

 The oil distilled with steam from the bark and fractionally i-edistilled under 

 diminished pressure was found to contain approximately the following per- 

 centage constituents : Pinene, from 12 to 15 ; d-camphor, from 18 to 20 ; safrole, 

 from 25 to 27 ; and eugenyl methyl ether, from 45 to 45. The percentage com- 

 position of the oil of the leaves was found to be pinene and phellandreue (?), 

 25; d-camphor, 60; and phenols and other substances, 15. 



The analytical data are described in detail. 



A method for the estim^ation of very small amounts of potassium, H. J. 

 HAMBtJKGEB (Biochcm. Ztschr., 74 (1916), pp. 414. 415; abs. in Jour. Chem. 

 Soc. [London], 110 (1916), No. 646, II. p. 448).— The author calls attention to 

 an error in the capillary tubes used and described in the method for the 

 determination of potassium previously noted (B. S. R., 34, p. 503). With a 

 correctly graduated tube each division equals 0.0004 cc. and corresponds to 

 0.000074059 gm. of potassium. 



A new, rapid, and accurate method for estimating lime and potash in 

 soils, T. E. Keitt and C. J. King (South Carolina Sta. Bui. 188, pp. 3-5).— The 

 method described is as follows : 



An aliquot of the .soil solution corresponding to 2 gm. of soil is evaporated in 

 a platinum dish on a water bath after the addition of 5 cc. of sulphuric acid 



