19191 AGRICULTT i:\l, BOTANY. 517 



The estimated possible production ot plants now in operation or ready for 

 operation in the United States Is 100,000 inns <>f actual potash. The estimated 

 potential production from cement mills la 100,000 tuns of actual potash. "By 

 alterations now being made In one of the plants at Bearles Lake, it is estimated 

 that the production from this source will be Increased to something like 



60,000 tons K..<> a year. The installations In western Nebraska, Operating on 

 the hrine lakes of that region, are capable of largely increased production, 

 while B Complete utilization of the kelp beds on the Pacific COUSl and the 



installation of apparatus for recovering potasb from the gases of blast furnaces 

 would undoubtedly furnish a very heavy tonnage of potash." 



Domestic production of potash in 1918, W. B. Hicks (U. S. Qeol. Survey 

 Press Hal. 399 (1919), p. 1).— The Indicated production in the Dnlted states in 

 1918 Is 1912,587 short tons of materials containing 52,185 short tons of actual 

 potasb (almost double that of 1917), of which 39,255 tons were obtained 

 from natural brines, 2,619 from alunite. 1,429 from dust from cement mills, 

 4,'JlfJ from kelp, 8,322 from molasses distillery waste, 7(11 from Steffeiis waste 

 water, 365 from wood ashes, and 92 tons from other sources. The products as 

 prepared for market contained 12,614 tons of potash ;is muriate, 894 as low- 

 grade chlorid, 3,188 as sulphate, 31,311 as crude sulphate and carbonate, 365 

 as crude carbonate and caustic potash, 2,896 as potash char, ash, and ground 

 kelp, and SC>7 tons us cement and blast furnace dust, alum, and raw and 

 calcined alunite. 



Producers' reports indicate 00,426 tons of crude potash in storage on Janu- 

 ary 1, 1019. 



The estimated capacity of American potash plants is given as 100,000 tons 

 of actual potash, distributed as follows: Natural brines from Nebraska lakes 

 50,000 tons, from other sources 28,000; alunite 4,(KM), dust from cement mills 

 3,500, kelp r»,r»(K>, molasses distillery waste 4,000, Steffeiis waste water 3,(XH), 

 wood ashes 1,000, and potash from other sources 1,006 tons. 



Some general information on lime and its uses and functions in soils, 

 M. M. McCoot and C. E. Miixab (Michigan Sta. Spec. Bui 91 (1918), pp. 21, 

 fii/s. 12). — This is a rather popular account of the functions and uses of lime 

 in Michigan, Including Information regarding sources of lime in the State. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, II. I). IIaskins, L. S. W.w.kkr, and 

 II. B. Pikrce (Massachusetts Sta. Control Set: Bui. 9 (1918). pp. 75). — This 

 reports the actual and guarantied analysis of 596 official samples of fertilizers 

 and fertilizer materials, including wood ashes and lime compounds and repre- 

 senting 372 brands collected during 1918. The chemical character and cost 

 of crude stock materials are Indicated, and the quality of the nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid, and potasb contained in mixed goods discussed. 



The text of the amended fertilizer law is Included. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, I'. II. WE8SELS (Rhode Island Sta. limp. 

 Bid.. 1918. Oct.. pp. Hi). — This reports the actual and guarantied analyses of 

 all the brands of commercial fertilizers, limes, and wood ashes found on side 

 In Rhode Island during 1918. Of the samples examined 74 per cent equaled or 

 exceeded the guaranty, while 1G per cent fell below the guaranty by les< than 

 0.3, and 10 per cent by 0.3 or more. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Cytokinesis of the pollen mother cells of certain dicotyledons, C II. Farr 

 (Mem. N. Y. Bot. (lard., 6 (1916), pp. 253-817, pis. 3, fly. 1).— The author re- 

 views the literature of the subject, dealing with cell division in plants and 

 animals and discussing theories and terminology regarding cell division, par- 

 ticularly quadripartitiou in cryptogams and higher plauts. 



