314 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.40 



Report of the agricultural chemist, J. C. F.iu'nnich (Ann. Rpt. Dept. Agr. 

 and Stock [Queensland], 1916-17, pp. 37-48). — This is the customary annual 

 report, containing a general statement of the work performed during the year 

 1916-17, together with tables of analyses of Queensland soils, waters, wheats, 

 flours, and farm and vegetable seeds. 



METEOROLOGY. 



On the cooling of air near the ground at night. Q. TTEi.tMwx (Aba. in 8oL 

 46*., Sect. A—Phya., 21 (1918), No. 252, p. }88).— Observations with 10 mini- 

 mum thermometers arranged at 5-cm. intervals above the ground from 5 to 50 

 cm. showed thai on clear nights there was a regular Increase of temperature 

 with height, following an exponential law. <»n the average, the difference be- 

 tween 1 1 » « - temperature at the surface of the ground and at a height of 50 cm. 

 was :',.7° C. An increase of cloudiness by 1° of the usual scale (0=ele:ir. 

 10— overcast ) diminished this difference by a full third of a degree Centigrade, 

 With an overcast sky there was no difference of temperature. In rainy and 

 windy weather there was a diminution of temperature of a few tenths of a 

 degree. 



The." warmth of dawn." O. BfKZSSNKB (Phya. Ztachr., in (1918), No. /7. pp. 

 88: aba. in Set. Ah*., Sect. A Phya., 21 (1918), No. 252, p. #88).— "From 



hourly readings of temperature as recorded at the Potsdam Observatory, the 

 conclusion is reached that the difference in point of time between temperature- 

 minimum and sunrise has a definite seasonal variation, both for clear nights 

 only and on the average of all niL-h:s. Prom May io September the time of 

 minimum temperature occurs 30 minutes after BUnrise; in spring and autumn 

 the interval is reduced to 15 minutes, hut in winter minimum temperature 

 occurs l(i minutes earlier than sunrise. Thus there Ifl nothing in the observa- 

 tions to support the 'warmth of dawn' theory." 



On a possible relation between certain weather changes and radio-active 

 emanations from the earth. K. M.wiw. (/'//.(/.v. Ztachr., 17 (1916), No. W. pp. t98- 

 196). — Observations in mountain regions are reported which are thoughl to 

 indicate a relation between radio-active emanations and weather chanj 



[Climatic conditions of the Belle Fourche reclamation project), K. A.TJNK 

 (17. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., Work i:< U< Fouroht Expt. Farm, 1911, 

 pp. '/-a. fit/. 1). Observations on temperature, precipitation, evaporation, kill- 

 ing frosts, and wind velocity at the experiment farm for the ten years, P. - 

 to L917, are recorded. The precipitation in 1917 was 13.32 in., 0.58 in. li 

 than the id-year average. "The ground had a fair covering of snow from De- 

 cember to March, and most of the precipitation came before -lune 1." The 

 spring was cold and wet. "The precipitation after June 1 came in such small 

 quantities that little benefit was derived from it. Consequently, very poor 

 stands nf all crops that were planted late on spring plowing were secured." 



British rainfall, 1917. H. R. Mn.i. and 0. Su.n b | / o don: Edward Stanford, 

 Ltd.. lms. /,/,. :)<>; rev. in Nature {London}, t02 (1919), \<>. 2568, i>. 288).— 

 Records are given for over 5,000 stations and analyzed as usual. The report 

 also contains, among a number of special articles, one relating to the diminu- 

 tion of rainfall with height above the ground at Greenwich Observatory. This 

 showed that at approximately i<> ft. above the ground there is a diminution 

 of about :: per cent, al 22 ft 1<> per cent, at 38 ft 20 per cent, and at 50 ft. 

 85 per cent. 



Sulphuric acid content of snow and rain water, K. Krrrr.ns (Ztachr, An<jnr. 

 Ohem., ■■'/ (1918), Vo. ..<. lufsoteteil, pp. ?'} 16; <!'■*■ in Jour. Soc Ohem. tndua., 

 57 (1918), No. 13, p. 888 \: Ohem. Aba., 12 H918), No. 22, p. . -It is 



