EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



\'< >r.. 40. Abstract Number. No. 9. 



RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNY. 



Recent advances in physical and inorganic chemistry, A. W. Stewart (Lon- 

 don and New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1919, 8. ed., rev., pp. XV + .iS.' h figs. 

 28). — In the third edition of this book, which consists of a series of essays upon 

 recent advances in special branches of inorganic chemistry, the subject matter 

 has been greatly enlarged and almost entirely rewritten. The book contains 

 eight chapters dealing with subjects from pure and applied inorganic chemistry, 

 six on physico-chemical subjects, four on radioactivity, a chapter on some new 

 views on the elements, and a concluding chapter Indicating fields of research in 

 which much still remains to be investigated. The chapter on the fixation of 

 nitrogen should be of particular interest to the agricultural chemist. 



Osmotic pressure, A. Findlay (London and New York: Longmans. Green & Co., 

 191V. 2. ed., pp. XI+ 116, figs. 10).— The first edition of this book has been noted 

 previously (E. S. It., 30, p. 310). In the present edition, the work on osmotic 

 pressure has been brought up to date and a fuller description has been given 

 of the apparatus employed by Morse and his collaborators. 



The preparation of substances important in agriculture, C. A. Peters (New 

 York: -John Wilcii <0 Sons, Inc., 1919, 8. ed., pp. VII+81).—ln this manual 

 the chemistry and practical significance of certain substances of agricultural 

 interest are explained and laboratory directions are given for their prepara- 

 tion. The following substances are treated: Superphosphate, sulphate of am- 

 monia, potassium nitrate, sulphate of potash-magnesia, sulphate of potash 

 (high grade), muriate of potash, lead nitrate, lead arsenate, lime-sulphur, 

 copper sulphate. Paris green, Bordeaux mixture, and emulsions. 



The stabilization of bleaching powder, A. N. MtLBBXJU (Jour. Sor. Ohetn. 

 Indus., 88 (1919), No. 6, p. 80T). — Preliminary experiments on the stabiliza- 

 tion of bleaching powder by removal of water are reported. 



It was found that bleaching powder was more rapidly dried by alkaline 

 agents (sodium hydroxid and basic calcium chlorid) than by acid agents 

 (phosphorus pentoxid and sulphuric acid). Phosphorus pentoxid, however, 

 proved to be a more effective drying agent than sodium hydroxid if an absorbent 

 for chlorin was present. The absorbent used was a mixture of merenrons 

 chlorid and mercury. 



The tendency of bleaching powder to lose available cldorin was found to be 

 much decreased by desiccation, as shown by the fact that samples thus dried 

 contained over 25 per cent of available cldorin after a year. 



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