RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



CHEMISTRY. 



Determination of sulphates in plants, G. S. Fraps {North Carolina Sta. Rpt. 

 1903, pp. 69-71) . — From a l>rief review of the literature of this subject it is concluded 

 that •" the quantity of sulphates present may vary considerably in the seeds of differ- 

 ent plants, in different parts of different plants, in different parts of the same plants, 

 and in the same plant at different stages of growth." 



In determinations made bythe author no sulphur was found in corn kernels, peas, 

 green millet, timothy hay, corn silage", peanuts, sorghum, and teosinte, but a trace 

 of sulphate was found in oats. 0.003 per cent in crimson-clover straw, 0.001 per cent 

 in cotton-seed meal, and 0.085 per cent in green cowpea vines. The method employe. 1 

 was to treat 5 gins, of substance with 50 cc. of 1 per cent hydrochloric acid, filter 

 after an hour, wash with the dilute acid t<> 250 cc and add barium chlorid to the 

 boiling solution. It is considered erroneous to regard the ash of a plant as consist- 

 ing of only the inorganic portion. 



Colorimetric determination of phosphorus, T. E. Hewitt {Jour. Amer. Chem. 

 Soc., 91 • 1905), No. 2, pp. 1/1-124 I.— The method, applicable especially to determi- 

 nation of phosphorus in iron, steel, etc., is based upon the color reactions due to passing 

 hydrogen sulphid through a sodium-hydroxid solution of the phosphomolybdate. 



On the determination of carbonates of calcium and magnesium by Fruh- 

 ling's method, C. Montanaki {SUa. 8per. Agr. ML, 37 (1904), No. 9, pp. 810-814). 



A method for the simultaneous detection of nitric and nitrous acids and 

 for their approximate quantitative determination by means of diphenyla- 

 min, P. X. R.mkow | Oesterr. <'}>>„,. Ztg., 7 {1904), No. U, pp. 557-561 1.— The method 

 proposed is based upon difference in sensitiveness I formation of blue colors) of 

 nitrite and nitrate solutions of different strengths toward sulphuric acid and phos- 

 phoric acid solutions of diphenylamin (0.2 gm. of diphenylamin in 100 cc. of sul- 

 phuric acid, 1.78 sp. gr., or sirupy phosphoric acid, 1.7 sp. gr. ). With nitrates the 

 two solutions are about equally sensitive, while with nitrites the relative sensitiveness 

 is much greater. 



A color scale for use with Nessler's reagent, H. Bueler-de Florin {Chem. 

 Zi ';/., 28 {1904), No. 104, p. 1264 . 



Report of the chemistry division, J. ('. Beunnich ( Queensland J>>j,t. Agr. Rpt. 

 1903-4. pp. 72-79). — Analyses are reported of a number of samples of maize, seed 

 wheats, Cape gooseberry pulp, strawberries, red currants, red gooseberries, rasp- 

 berries, pineapple fruits, mangrove and wattle barks for tanning, peanuts, and cotton 

 seed, as well as ash analyses of pineapple plants. 



In the case of wheat and maize the amount of aqueous extract and its composition, 

 ash constituents, and lecithin were determined in addition to the more usual con- 

 stituents. On an average the Queensland-grown maize contained 12 per cent mois- 

 ture, 13.1 per cent protein, 5.5 per cent fat, 65.8 per cent carbohydrates, and 1.6 per 

 cent ash. According to the author, the maize has in general a somewhat higher 

 protein content than samples grown elsewhere. "Our maizes containing about L3 

 per cent of proteids, which nearly approaches the average amount found in wheat-, 

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