328 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plateaus and the peaks of high mountains, and are entirely absent from the pure air 

 derived from the high regions of the atmosphere. 



The character and proportions of the combustible gases found in the air are indi- 

 cated by the following analysis of the air at Paris, which may l^e taken as repre- 

 sentative of the air of large cities in general: One hundred liters of the air of Paris at 

 0° and 760 mm. pressure contain free hydrogen, 19.4 cc. ; methane, 12.1 cc. ; benzin 

 (C® H") or similar hydrocarbons, 1.7 cc. ; carbon monoxid, with traces of hydrocar- 

 bons (jf the Cn H2n-2 and Cn H2n groujis, 0.2 cc. 



Atmospheric dust observed at Tunis March. 10, 1901, E. Bektaixchald 

 {Coinpt. Heiid. Acad. Sri. Parw, 1S2 (1901), Xo. IS, pp. 11.5.J-1 loo). —The dust was 

 essentially siliceous. 



Electro-sonorous method of combating- hail, G. ^I. Slaxoiewitch {Coinpt. 

 Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, 133 [1901) , No. 7, pp. 373, 374). — -The author proposes to send 

 up in a kite or captive balloon an electric vibrator to agitate the air in the storm cen- 

 ter and thus more effectually accomplish the result of dissipating the storm than 

 could be done by explosives, especially if the storm center is at a considerable eleva- 

 tion, as is frequently the case with the more violent kinds. 



The Tolmar experiments with explosives to control the weather, A. Hert- 

 ZOG {Fi'Ming^s Landtr. Zfg., 50 {1901), Xo. 1.5, pp. 54'2-o4o). — This is a brief account 

 of attempts to dissipate storms by means of cannonading, pointing out the desira- 

 bility of a more thorough investigation of the principles upon which the method 

 rests and of its effectiveness in practice. 



WATER— SOILS. 



Artesian wells in North and South Dakota, AV. Upham {Bui. Minnesota Acad. 

 Xat. Sci., 3 (1901), X(j. 3, pp. .370-379). — Data relating to location, depth, source, 

 and pressure of water, etc. , are given for a number of wells deriving water from the 

 Dakota sandstone, with some discussion of the character of the waters. 



The geology of the artesian basin of South Dakota, D. S. McCaslin {B>d. 

 Minnesota Acad. Xid. Sci., 3 (1901), Xo. 3, pp. 36V-388). 



Drainage water and salt morasses of the Odessa sewage fields, T. Seliwaxoff 

 {Landw. Vers. Stat., 55 (1901), Xo. 6, pp. 475-478). — A short account of observations 

 on the soil of fields used for sewage disposal by irrigation which had become impreg- 

 nated with chlorin to an injurious extent. This condition was corrected by improved 

 drainage. 



Researches on moorland waters. II, On the origin of the combined 

 chlorin, W. Ackroyd (Jour. C'heni. Soc. [London], 79 (1901), Xo. 463, pp. 673, 

 674) ■ — Weekly determinations of chlorin in the water of a reservoir at Widdop in 

 Yorkshire, November 12 to December 31, 1900, and January 7 to February 18, 1901, 

 and in the rainfall during the same period are reported. The conclusion was reached 

 that the combined chlorin in the reservoir water was w'holly derived from the rain. 

 For i)revious paper on acidity of moorland waters see E. S. R., 11, p. 312. 



The systematic investigation of soils, B. AV. Kilgore {BuJ. XortJt Carolina 

 State Bd. Ayr., ^J (1901), Xo. 5, pp. 38-46). — This is the annual address of the 

 presiding officer of the North Carolina section of American Chemical Society and 

 gives a general discussion of this subject. 



Some experiments in soil temperatures as aflFected by color and the moist- 

 ure content of the soil, J. B. Revxolds [Ontario Agr. Col. and E.vpt. Farm Rpt. 

 1900, pp. 7, 8, pi. 1). — An account is given of observations on 6 kinds of soil: (1) Pure 

 black humus or vegetable matter; (2) a iKjtting soil containing about 65 i)er cent of 

 rotted sod, 20 per cent barnyard manure, and 15 per cent sand; (3) clay loam; (4) 

 heavy clay; (5) coarse sand, and (6) fine sand, almost white. "Two sets of these 

 samples were used, one set being kept dry and the other wet. The experiments were 



