METEOROLOGY — CLIMATOLOGY. 15 



conducted to ascertain the conditions of germination in some of the Basidiomycetes, 

 particularly in the common mushroom {Agaricus campestru). In the preliminary 

 tests 12 out of 26 species studied yielded high percentages of germination in various 

 media, the spores of 11 germinating in distilled water. In the case of those spores 

 germinating in distilled water, the percentages of germination were invariably lower 

 than when some food material was supplied. The effect of extremes of temperature, 

 alkalis, acids, and organic substances on the germination of the spores of J . campestris 

 was tested. The percentages of germination obtained in these experiments varied 

 from to 25. In other experiments higher percentages of germination were 

 obtained, but these never occurred except in cultures containing the growing 

 mycelium of the fungus. 



Physiology of sea water, R. H. True {Ahs. in Science, n. m\, 15 {1902), No. 376, 

 j)p.402, 403). — A series of experiments is reported in which the alga Cladophora gracilis 

 was grown in various solutions to compare artificial and natural sea waters. The 

 plant was able to survive without apparent injury in a cane-sugar solution containing 

 1.2 gram-molecules per liter. The greater or less proportion of the cells were able to 

 live in weaker or stronger solutions, but their osmotic activity was somewhat dis- 

 turbed. Plants were found to be fatally affected within an hour by solutions of com- 

 mon salt in all concentrations, and in a solution isotonic with sea water were 

 destroyed within half an hour. A series of synthetic sea waters was prepared and 

 tested, death occurring within half an hour in those solutions containing the amount 

 of sodium chlorid present in the natural sea water at the location of the laboratory. 

 When magnesium salts were added no marked change was to be seen. Upon the 

 addition of a trace of calcium sulphate the time of survival was extended to about 2 

 hours, and upon the addition of potassium compounds the plants lived for about 24 

 hours. Although the synthetic solutions were isotonic with natural sea water, the 

 artifii'ial mixture was less saline to the taste than the former. Upon adding salt 

 until al)Out equal salinity was obtained, the artificial solution was found to be capable 

 of supporting an apparently normal existence of the alga for 8 days. It appears 

 from these experiments that not only the actual amount of substances dissolved, but 

 the form in which they exist is of importance. 



Water as a plant food, W. H. Jordan {Drainage Jour., £4 {1902), No. 3, pp. 

 53-56) .^A popular discussion of this subject. 



METEOROLOGY CLIMATOLOGY. 



Annual summary of meteorological observations in the United States, 1901 



{Mo. Weather Rev., 29 {1901), No. 13, pp. IX -^r 591-613, charts 7).— This number 

 gives a table of contents, list of corrections, additions, and changes, and an index for 

 volume 29; and a summary of observations on temperature, pressure, precipitation, 

 wind movement, cloudiness, and other meteorological phenomena "based essentially 

 upon data received from about 162 regular stations, 33 regular C'anadian stations, and 

 such voluntary stations as have forwarded their annual summaries in time." 



Monthly Weather Review {Mo. Weather Bev., 30 {1902), Nos. 1, pp. 1-60, charts 

 10; 2, pp. 61-108, figs. 5, charts 10; 3, pp. 109-156, figs. 7, charts 5).— In addition to 

 the usual reports on forecasts, warnings, weather and crop conditions, meteorological 

 tables and charts for the months of January, February, and March, 1902, recent 

 papers bearing on meteorology, etc., these numbers contain the following articles and 

 notes: 



No. 1. — Special contributions on Earthquakes, Clouds, and Gales at Port Carolina, 

 South Australia, by G. H. Styles; January Gales from the Great Lakes to the Mari- 

 time Provinces, by B. C. Webber; Abstract of a Comparison of the Minimum Tem- 

 peratures Recorded at the United States Weather Bureau and the Forest Park 

 Meteorological Observatories, St. Louis, Mo., for the year 1891, by W. H. Hammon and 



