NOTES. 621 



stant and alike in all laboratories. The same speaker, under the title of Standard 

 Methods to be Used in the Sanitary Analysis of Water, presented a report of the 

 committee on the development of standard methods, to he published soon. S. i). 

 Gage, in a paper on Biochemistry of Sewage Purification, discussed the bacteriolysis 

 of peptones and nitrates. 



The Need of Action regarding the Adulteration of Foods and Drugs was presented 

 in a paper by L. L. Watters. The speaker thought that adulteration and misbrand- 

 ing of these materials was on the increase, and gave illustrations of food adultera- 

 tion, the adulterants employed, and the extent of adulteration, especially in New 

 York City. He suggested that the greatest need was not for legislation, but for the 

 enforcement of the laws now on the statute books. In discussing this paper H. W. 

 Wiley called attention to the need of further legislation in some States, and illus- 

 trated some of the advantages which might be expected to result from the enactment 

 of a National pure-food law. 



C. A. Crampton and F. I>. Simons presented a paper on The Detection of Palm Oil 

 when Used as a Coloring Material in Fats and Oils. These oils are sold to the trade 

 as " butter oil," to be used in the manufacture of oleomargarine, the palm oil being 

 added to give the desired butter color. For its detection the speaker had employed 

 two methods. In the first test the solution of fat in petroleum ether is treated with 

 weak potassium hydrate solution, the water layer acidulated and treated with carbon 

 tetrachlcrid. The latter solution is separated and a portion treated with a solution 

 of 1 part crystallized phenol in 2 parts carbon tetrachlorid, and then with hydro- 

 bromic acid. In the other test the melted and filtered fat is shaken with acetic 

 anhydrid, and then with a drop of sulphuric acid sp. gr. 1.53. In both tests palm 

 oil is indicated by a bluish-green color. The tests were found to be positive and 

 satisfactory. A paper on The Detection of Process or Renovated Butter, by the same 

 authors, confirmed Patrick's methods based on the microscopic examination of the 

 curd. The behavior of the curd toward coloring matter, as suggested by Fascetti 

 (E. S. R., 16, p. 196), lias proved a favorable means of detection. The use of the 

 Zeiss immersion refractometer is being studied. 



In- a paper on The Organic Matter in Soils, F. K. Cameron reported data in sup- 

 port of Ins method announced a year ago (E. S. R., 15, p. 744). He also presented 

 notes on The Water of Utah Lake, showing the increase in solids during a period of 

 years; and in the section for physical chemistry he reported upon The Solubility of 

 Calcium Sulphate in Solutions of Ammonium Salts and of Certain Other Salts, in col- 

 laboration with B. E. Brown, on The Action of Water upon Calcium Phosphates, 

 with A. Seidell, and on The Action of Solutions of Potassium Nitrate upon Tricalcium 

 Phosphate, with J. G. Smith. A. S. Cushman described The Effect of Water on 

 Rock Powders. 



In the section for mechanical science and engineering, Elwood Mead, of this 

 Department, discussed The Value of Courses in Agricultural Engineering; ('. G. Elliott 

 described the irrigation and drainage investigations of this Office; and C. J. Zintheo, 

 of Iowa, sent a paper on American Machinery as a Factor in Agriculture. 



Accounts of the meetings of several other affiliated societies are given in the fol- 

 lowing pages. Unfortunately it was not found practicable to secure reviews of the 

 papers read at the meeting of the Society for Horticultural Science. 



Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science. — This society met in Philadelphia 

 December 27 and 28. A joint session was held on the first day with the Society for 

 Horticultural Science, at which the addresses of the presidents of the two societies 

 were presented. These addresses were treated editorially in the last number. 



A memorial to the late Henry E. Alvord, a member of the Society for the Promo- 

 tion of Agricultural Science, was presented by W. R. La/entry, on behalf of a com- 

 mittee consisting of himself, P.O. Howard, and W.J. Peal, appointed for the purpose. 

 This was a record of the life and scientific services of Major Alvord, and concluded 



