208 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Meteorological observations, June, 1896, H. B. Eattle and C. F. VON HkUR- 

 MANX (Xurth Carolina Sta. Met. Bid. 81, jip. 91-106. mapx 2). — The usual notes on 

 weather and croji conditions and summaries of meteorological observations. 



Meteorological observations, W. B. Alwood ( Virgima Sta. Rpt. 1S95, i^p. 7, S). — 

 A summary by months is j^iveu of oljservatious on temperature and precipitation for 

 the period from July 1, 1893, to June 30, 1895. "The rainfall during late summer 

 and autumn [of 1894] fell much belo\y the previous year, though it was also a year 

 of drought. The winter was a season of extraordinary severity, both in lowiiess of 

 temperature and in fall of snow, this being over 6 ft. total on the level for the winter 

 season. . . . The average deficiency of preciiiitation for the 2 years is 6 in." 



WATER— SOILS. 



The oxidation of the organic matter of the soil, P. P. Deherain 



aud E. Demoussy {Compt Rend., 123 [1896), No. 5, pp. 278-283; Rev. 

 Sclent., ser. d, G [1896), No. 7, p. 213). — The oxidation of the humus was 

 measured by the quautity of carbouic acid furuisbed by various soils 

 uuder different conditions. Oxidation went on to a certain extent in 

 soils which had been sterilized by heating to 120° C, but it was much less 

 activ e than where the chemical action was assisted by that of the fer- 

 ments of the soil. These ferments resist a temperature of 05° C, at 

 which point the oxidation of the humus is at the maximum. The oxi- 

 dation is favored by free access of air resulting from tlie stirring of the 

 soil. In warm regions a soil plowed each year and cultivated without 

 fertilizers rapidly becomes sterile on account of the destruction of the 

 humus. In temperate regions the loss of humus is less rapid. It was 

 observed at Grignon that a soil cultivated without fertilizers during 

 six years lost half of its organic matter. 



Note on the composition of deposit formed in water pipes, .T. A. aud E. W. 

 VOELCKKR {Jnalyst, 21 (1890), Juhj, p. 169). — The authors found that a considerable 

 deposit of basic carbonate of zinc mixed with the oxid was formed from a soft water 

 in galvanized-iron pipes in whicli the water was heated. — n. w. kilgukk. 



FERTILIZERS. 



The marls of Wisconsin, F. W. Woll ( Wisconsin Sta. BuJ. .51, 

 pp. 16). — Descriptions and analyses of 44 samples of Wisconsin marl 

 are reported, accompanied by notes on the occurrence of marl deposits 

 in the State and on the use of marl as a soil improver aud for the man- 

 ufacture of cement and quicklime. Shell marls are found in a large 

 numbei" of i)laces in Wisconsin, especially in the central and eastern 

 counties. These marls are of a high degree of purity, and are gener- 

 ally found under thin layers of peat or in lake bottoms. They are 

 largely made up of carbonate of lime, and are recommended '^ as a fer- 

 tilizer on soils deficient in lime or as an amendment to clay, sandy, or 

 peaty soils." The Wisconsin marls generally do not contain any phos- 

 phoric acid or potash, their value de[)ending on the lime and the small 

 amount of organic nitrogen which they contain. 



