1818] SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 319 



Report of the consulting meteorologist, J. F. Voorhees {Tennessee Sta. 

 Rpt. 1915, pp. 130-132, figs. 2). — Charts showing the distribution of rainfall in 

 ^Sfferent parts of Tennessee during 1915 are given and discussed. 



The relation of July rainfall to the yield of corn in the State, for a period 

 of 22 years, is also shown in a chart. " In addition to the marked relation 

 shown by the chart there is another feature worthy of a little study. Dividing 

 the record into two periods of 11 years each, it is found that the average rain- 

 fall for the first periad was 4.63 in. and the average yield of corn w^as 22 bu. 

 per acre. The average rainfall for the second period of 11 years was 4.78 in. 

 and the average corn yield was 25.1 bn. per acre. The increase in yield, then, 

 is 3.1 bu. with an increase in rainfall of 0.15 in. By the use of a correlation table 

 it can be easily shown that an increase of 0.15 in. in rainfall could not be ex- 

 pected to increase the yield more than 0.1 bu. per acre. The rest of the in- 

 crease, 3 bu. per acre, is therefore probably due to better farming methods." 



The weather and climate of Salt Lake City, Utah, A. H. Thiessen {Proc. 

 2. Pan Amer. Sci. Cong., 1915-16, vol. 2, pp. 205-225, flgs. 17). — This paper shows 

 not merely the averages but the extremes and variations from the normal of 

 the principal meteorological elements as recorded at Salt Lake City since 1875. 

 The data show an equable climate which is ascribed to the fact that very few 

 storms pass directly over the city and that the city is in a sheltered position 

 in the mountains. 



The climate of Cuba, M. Gutierrez-Lanza (Proc. 2. Pan Amer. Sei. Cong., 

 1915-16, vol. 2, pp. 132-172, flgs. 11). — The available climatic data for Cuba are 

 quite fully reviewed in this article (In the Spanish language). 



SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 



Soil moisture studies under dry farming, F. S. Harris and J. W. Jones 

 {LHah Sta. Bill. 158 (1917), pp. 51, figs. 33).— This bulletin reports the results 

 of experimental work conducted in cooperation with the U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture at the Nephi substation, involving rather extensive soil 

 moisture studies on a deep alluvial reddish-brown clayey to sandy loam, for 

 the period of 1908 to 1916, inclusive. Meteorological data, presented in tables, 

 show the average precipitation for the period 1898 to 1916, inclusive, to have 

 been 13.48 in., about 85 per cent of which fell during the nongrowing season 

 between October and May. The average evaporation from a free-water surface 

 during April to October, inclusive, for the period of 1908 to 1916, amounted to 

 47.6 in. The average wind velocity for the summer months approximated 4.5 

 miles per hour, while the temperature seldom reached 100° F. The plats were 

 sampled in 1-ft. sections to a depth of 6 ft., with a soil tube in the spring, 

 summer, and fall, with the exception of one series of plats sampled to a depth 

 of 10 ft. 



The experimental w^ork herein reported embraced a comparison of numerous 

 field practices deemed especially valuable in the accumulation and utilization 

 of soil moisture under conditions prevailing at the substation, and is described 

 under the general headings of stubble treatment, plowing, cultivation of fallow, 

 mulches, crops, manure, and storage and use of water by winter wheat in 1915 

 and 1916. 



The results are discussed in considerable detail, illustrated by diagrams and 

 summarized as follows: 



" Disking stubble before fall plowing or after harvest before spring plowing 

 was not beneficial in moisture storage. Burning stubble before fall plowing 

 slightly increased the moisture content of fallow. 



