676 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Geological Conference at Clermont-Ferrand, by A. Ij. Rotch; horizontal atmospheric 

 rolls, by F. W. Proctor; long-range seasonal predictions for Oregon, by B. S. I'ague; 

 and notes concerning the West India hurricane of September 29-30, 1896, by A. J. 

 Henry; and notes by the editor on forms of cloiids, hoar frost especially rich in 

 nitrogen (see p. 675), atmospheric refractions at the surface of water, an experimental 

 rainfall (see p. 672), Mexican climatological data, unreliable popular weather prov- 

 erbs, the effect of shading the soil, and a prize for kite flyers. 



No. 11 contains special articles on an endeavor to discover electi'odynamic radia- 

 tions from the sun, by J. Trowbridge; sunstroke weather of August, 1896, by 

 W. F. R. Phillips; how the chinook came in 1896, by A. B. Coe; a method of filling 

 a barometer, by E. B. Partridge; and the cold spell of November 16-30, 1896, in 

 Montana and adjoining States, by H. A. Hazen; and notes by the editor on simulta- 

 neous balloon ascensions, the Franklin kite club, the use of the kite in meteorology, 

 the ui)per currents of air above the Indian monsoon region, the origin of typhoons 

 and hurricanes, the low areas of our Pacific Coast, high-level isobars, tlie Tennessee 

 river and flood system, and Mexican climatological data. 



Summary of solar observations at the Royal College of Rome during the 

 second half of 1896, P. Tacchini {Compt. Bend., 124 {1S97), No. G, pp. 274-276). 



Meteorology, Island of Mauritius {Bap. Ann. Sta. Agron. lie Maurice, 1895, pp. 

 1-7), — Observations on atmospheric ])ressure, temjierature, humidity, and precipita- 

 tion during the year 1895 are recorded. 



WATER— SOILS. 



Investigations on the drainage water of different soils, E. 



WOLLNY [Forsch. Geh. agr. rhys., 19 {1<S96), No. 3, pp. 212-323).— In 

 continuation of previous studies' the author observed that increasing 

 the surface of the soil by ridging- decreased the amount of drainage, 

 while loosening the surface soil increased it. Observations on the 

 amount of drainage water flowing from x>eat, loam, calcareous sand, 

 humus-calcareous sand, and quartz sand are reported. From the data 

 given it is estimated that the rate of flow of drainage water from the 

 finest grained soil was 0.8 liter (0.68 pint per acre) per second per 

 hectare. 



Investigations on the relation of atmospheric precipitation to 

 plants and soils, E. Wollny {Forsch. Geh. <igr. Phyx., 10 {1896), No. 3, 

 p, 267). — This article is a general discussion of the influence of j»recipi- 

 tation on the chemical properties of the soil and reviews briefly the 

 work of various investigators in this line. Data of the nitrogen con- 

 tent of rain water in different parts of the world are tabulated. These 

 lead to the conclusion that only in populous centers is the nitrogen of 

 the rain water sufficient to exert any appreciable influence on the growth 

 of plants. While the nitrogen is present in many forms, there is more 

 ammoniacal nitrogen than nitric nitrogen. In manufacturing centers 

 the sulphuric acid brought down in the precipitation may cause decided 

 injury to plants. 



The amount of chlorin and other constituents which the rain brings 

 to the soil are also discussed, as well as the influence of precipitation 



' Forsch. Geb. agr. Phys., 7 (188«), p. 46. 



