FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 467 



Economic and eflacient hydrocyanic acid gas fumigation, R. S. Woglum 

 (Rural Californian, 3.'/ (19W), No. 3, pp. 82-SH. fig.s. 2). — An address in which 

 the practical results of fumigation investigations carried on in California are 

 discussed. 



Proceedings of the thirtieth annual convention of the Colorado State Bee 

 Keepers' Association (Ann. Rpt. Bd. Ilort. Colo., 1909, pp. 151-175). — A report 

 of the proceediugs. 



Annual report of the Bee Keepers' Association of the Province of Ontario, 

 1909 (Ann. Rpt. Bcc Keepers' Assoc. Ontario, 1909, pp. G'i).—A report of the 

 proceedings. 



Directions for collecting and preserving insects, N. Banks (U. 8. Nat. Mus. 

 But. 67, pp. 135. pi. 1, figs. 188). — An entirely new paper of particular interest 

 to entomological students. 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Wheat and flour investigations (crops of 1906—7), R. W. Thatcher ( Wash- 

 ington Sta. Bill. 91, pp. 3-31). — Continuing earlier work, analyses and milling 

 tests are reported of a large number of samples of wheat of different varieties 

 grown in 1906-7 and the results discussed in comparison with similar data 

 previously reported for the crop of 1905 (E. S. R., 19, p. 964). 



In general, the results show that the whole crop for 1907 was lower in 

 protein or gluten-producing material than the crop of 1906, the differences 

 being undoubtedly due to the cool, moist, cloudy weather during the harvest 

 season of 1907 as compared with the hot, dry harvest months of the previous 

 year. 



" It appears from the analytical figures already obtained in this study, and 

 from similar results obtained by other investigators, that the chief, if not 

 sole factor in determining the comparative chemical composition of wheat of 

 the same variety grown in different localities is the climatic conditions during 

 harvest, and that differences in the composition of the soil have very little, if 

 any, effect upon the quality of the grain, except in so far as the soil affects the 

 moisture supply of the plant. In comparisons between different varieties, the 

 tendency of each variety to produce grain of a certain quality must, of course, 

 be taken into account. But varietal differences seem to be less marked than 

 differences within the same variety caused by variations in the climatic con- 

 ditions under which the grain is ripened. 



" Investigations are in progress at this station to determine the effect of each 

 of the several factors which go to make up climatic influence, such as relative 

 temperature, cloudy weather or direct sunshine, humidity of the air, moisture 

 supply in the soil or rainfall, etc., upon the composition of the wheat; and 

 also the stage of the plant's development at which these influences exert the 

 strongest effect upon the quality of the ripe grain." 



The composition of Indian rice, D. Hooper (Agr. Ledger, 1908-9, No. 5 (Veg. 

 Profl. .Scr., No. 110), pp. 63-109). — Analyses of 159 samples of Indian rice 

 are reported. 



Considering the rice from different localities, the smallest average protein 

 content, 6..58 per cent, was noted with Cuttack rice, and the highest, 7.69 per 

 cent, with Bombay rice, the average value for all the varieties being 7.25 per 

 cent. Considering individual analyses, the percentage of protein varied from 

 5.44 in a samjjle of Cuttack to 9.S1 in a sample of Broach. 



" One object in conducting these examinations has been to discover what 

 natural circumstances have contributed to the superiority of the composition 

 of the grain. It has been seen that in some cases the local reputation and 



