SOILS. 755 



Determination of atmospheric ozone on Mont Blanc, M. dk Tiiiekry {Compt. 

 Bend, 12-1 {1SD7), \r>.9. pp.4i;0-4<;S). 



The gases of the atmosphere : The history of their discovery, W. Ramsay 

 (London: MarmiUan ,\- Co., ISQi'i, pp. MO: miUd in Xatiirv,5.'i (/S:t7), Xo. 142S, p.435). 



Report of the International Meteorological Congress at Chicago, Illinois, 

 August 21-24, 1893 ( T. ^. Dcpi. A<ir., Weather Iliirean BuL II, pi. ,1, pp. ',sr,-772, 

 ph. IS, fig. 1). — This report ' in edited l>y O. L. Fassig, aud contains the followinf^ 

 articles: The climate of the United States, by H. A. Hazen ; the, clinnite of th(! West 

 Indies, by M. Hall; the climate of the City of Mexico, by M. Harcena; the climate of 

 the British Islands, by C. Harding; the climate of the Netherlands, by M. Snellen; the 

 climate of Denmark, by A. Paulsen; the climate of Norway, by H. Mohn; the devel- 

 opment of climatology in the German Empire, by H. Meyer; reCereiues to sources of 

 iuformaticn relative to the climate of Austria-Hungary, l)y J. TInnn; meteorology 

 of the Italian Mountains, by V. Deuza; the climate of the Malay Archipelago, by 

 J. P. Van der Stok; the climatology of southern and western Asia, l)y M. L. Dallas; 

 historical sketch of instrumental meteorology, by E. Gerlaud; the relative merits of 

 anemometers in general use, by W. H. Dines; relative merits of tlie various types 

 of registering maximum and minimum thermometers, by D. Draper; on the construc- 

 tion of registering air thermometers to rejjlace the ordinary alcohol and mercurial 

 thermometers, by A. Sprung; observations of solar radiation — how best made and 

 compiled, by O. Schwolson ; the studj^ of the upper atmosphere by means of balloons, 

 by Y. Kremser; observations of atmosi)heric dust, by J. Aitken ; tlie study of the 

 upper atmosphere from observations ou mountain stations, by J. Hann; the study of 

 the upper atmosphere by means of cloud observations, by ^"ettiu ; cloud photography, 

 by A. Angot. 



SOILS. 



Soil ferments important in agriculture, H. W. Wiley ( U. S, Dept. 



A(jr. Yearbook 1S95, pp. (i9-10:J, figs. 2). — A general discussion of the 

 vital activity of the soil, especially the fixation of nitrogen by the soil, 

 nitrification, and the assimilation of nitrogen by leguniinons plants in 

 symbiosis with microorganisms, with suggestions regarding the appli- 

 cation in farm operations of the scientific discoveries along these lines. 

 The importance of further study in this direction, with a view to finding 

 methods for securing "the greatest activity of the beneficial organisms 

 and tlie least activity of the inimical ones," is pointed out. 



The i)rogress of nitrification in the soil is illustrated in a diagram 

 showing the results of observations on a culture inoculated with organ- 

 isms from an Alabama soil. 



"The diagram shows that no action took place during the first two weeks after 

 seeding. During the third week there was a vigorous evolution of niti'ous acid, with 

 only a trace of nitric acid. During the fourth week, attending a depression of tem- 

 perature, the bacterial action was less active. During tlie fifth week both the nitrous 

 and nitric f>rganisms were active, attending a considerable rise of temperature. 

 After tlie lifth week the nitrous acid l)eg:in rapidly to disa])i)ear, being converted 

 into nitric acid. The horizontal position, however, of the continuous line shows 

 that no additional nitrous acid was formed from the ammonia during the sixth week. 

 During tlni seventh week there was no activity either of the nitrons or the nitric 

 ferment. During the eighth and ninth weeks both ferments were again active, the 

 nitrous acid being converted into nitric as soon as formed." 



'For notices of papers in parts 1 and 2 of this report see E. S. li., 5, p. lOiSG; G, pp. 

 507, 618, 639, 695 ; 7, pp. 280, 285. 



