AGEICULTURAL ENGINEERING. 819 



The production of a polyvalent preventive and curative serum, for treat- 

 ment of the pasteurelloses, Ligxieres and Spitz ( CompL Rend. Acad. Scl, Paris^ 

 1S4 {1903), No. ;2o, pp. 1371-1S73). — Attention is called to the fact that preventive 

 aerum treatment has been successfully devised in the case of fowl cholera, swine 

 plague, and other diseases belonging to this class. A monovalent serum prepared 

 from a single species of these organisms operates as a preventive and curative for all 

 of the diseases of this class. By a series of experiments conducted with horses the 

 author determined that immunizing products could be obtained from these animals, 

 after being subjected to inoculation with virus of several kinds, and that this serum 

 was effective in subcutaneous doses of 5 to 10 cc. 



Liver disease (tuberculosis) of poultry, A. 3Ieek {Jour. Ed. Agr. \_London'], 9 

 {190J), Xo. J, pp. 189-192). — Notes are given on the distribution, symptoms, post- 

 mortem appearances, etiology, and methods of prevention of tuberculosis of fowls. 

 It is believed that the present great prevalence of this disease is partly due to 

 ignorance as to its nature and consequent indifference as to means of controlling it. 



Sorghum poisoning, H. Tkyox (Queensland ^igr. Jour., 11 {1902), Xo. 4, p>p_- 

 282, 283). — Brief notes are given on the finding of prussic acid in sorghum, espe- 

 .".ially in young plants. A short abstract is also presented of an article on cyano- 

 genesis in plants, by W. R. Dunstan and T. A. Henry. 



Grazing in orchards sprayed vrith poisonous "washes {Jour. Bd. Agr. \^Lon- 

 doii], 9 {1902), Xo. 2, pp. 193-195). — Spraying experiments were conducted for the 

 purpose of testing the question of the possibility of stock poisoning as the result of 

 using arsenical and other insecticides and fungicides. Two acres of young fruit trees 

 were sprayed with Paris green, the grass between the trees being sprayed as well. A 

 number of sheep were allowed to graze on this grass and no evidence of anyinjurions 

 effect was observed. 



The bactericidal and disinfecting action of Lysoform, 0. Seydewitz {Centbl. 

 Bakt. u. Par., 1. Abt., 32 {1.902), Xo. 3, Orlg., pp. 222-234)-— l^ysolorm is said to 

 consist of formalin, soap, and a small quantity of ethereal oil dissolved in alcohol. 

 The author tested its bactericide power on a number of bacteria, including the organ- 

 isms of typhoid, anthrax, cholera, diphtheria, puerperal fever, and also Sfaphylococcus 

 pyogenes aureus. Lysoform was found to be a valuable disinfectant. It requires, 

 however, more time to produce its effects than many other well-known disin- 

 fectants. In the case of anthrax spores growth was prevented by subjecting these 

 organisms to a 1:1500 solution of Lysoform for a period of 8 days. However, a 

 culture of anthrax bacillus in l)ouillon was not destroyed during a period of 8 days, 

 except when exposed to a concentration of 1:100 of Lysoform. 



The bactericidal action of soaps, D. Koxradi {Arch. Jlgg., 44 {1902), Xo. 2, pp. 

 101-112). — A test was made of the disinfecting power of a number of soaps with 

 regard to certain species of pathogenic bacteria, especially anthrax bacillus. It was 

 found that certain soaps, especially those which contain certain odorific materials, 

 were complete disinfectants. As a test of this problem the author smeared anthrax; 

 cultures on the hands and then washed the hands with so-called Resorcin soap with 

 the result that all of the anthrax bacilli were destroyed. 



AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. 



Irrigation, F. H. Newell {Twelfth Census United States, Census Rpts., vol. 6 {Agri- 

 culture, pt. 2), pp. 799-880, pis. 9, figs. 3.5). — The history of irrigation in America is 

 briefly reviewed; the present area of irrigated land, extent and measurement of the 

 water supply, planning and construction of irrigation systems, methods of irrigation, 

 pumping, drainage, waste of water, duty of water, and alkali are discussed; and gen- 

 eral statistics of irrigation in the various States and Territories in the arid and humid 

 regions are given. 



