512 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



determine the characteristics of a clay it is only necessary to estimate the upper 

 and lower limits of plasticity and tbe cohesive limit. For loams it is necessary 

 to determine the flowing limit. Attention is directed to the relation of the 

 above factors to the soil and soil analysis. 



Examination of peat litter, J. Widen {Svciisk Kcm. Ticlskr., 22 (19 JO), Nos. 

 1, pp. 11-16; 2, pp. 24-3J,; ahs. in Cliem. Ztg., 34 {1910), No. J,l, Rrpert., p. 

 177). — A discussion of the methods of sampling, the treatment of the samples 

 (drying and reducing), and the determination of the absorption capacity 

 (Fleischer's or old Bremen method, the von Feilitzen method, and the new 

 method employed by the Bremen Moor Station). 



A new method for estimating the oxygen content of water, R. Mauciiv 

 (Kiserlet. KozJcm., 13 {1910), No. 2, pp. 2.',.'i-2oO. fig. i).— The apparatus 

 " Tenax," which is employed by the German Fishery Society, was investigated 

 and found of value only where an approximation of the oxygen content is 

 wanted. The author recommends, however, where such results are desired the 

 employment of von Hofer's modification of Winkler's method, as this is much 

 more simple. 



In regard to the water content of rye and wheaten flours, O. Rammstfdt 

 {CltCDi. Zig., 3.'t (1910). No. 39. pp. 337-339).— A criticism of Arragon's article 

 (E. S. R., 22, p. TON). 



Isolation of the creatinin from meat and other extracts, K. Micko {Ztscltr. 

 Untersiich. Nahr. u. (Icnussmtl., 19 {1910), No. S. pp. .'i2G-.'i3'i). — The method 

 consists essentially in precipitating the creatinin with picric acid as creatinin 

 picrate and converting the latter into a chlorid salt, which is sufficiently pure 

 for elementary analysis. 



Phosphorus in flesh. Differentiation of organic and inorganic phosphorus, 

 P. F. Trowbridgb' and Louise M. Stanley {Jour. Indus, and Engin. Ghem., 2 

 {1910), No. 5, pp. 212-215; ahs. in Analyst, 35 {1910), No. Jfl2, p. 311).— A con- 

 tinuation of previous work (E. S. R., 22, p. 9). 



The results indicate that Emmett and Grindley's modification (E. S. R., 17, 

 p. 8S7) of the Hart-Andrew method for inorganic phosphorus (E. S. R., 15, p. 

 496) gives low results. This is due to the process employed in separating the 

 coagulable proteins by evaporating the aqueous extracts, this splitting off from 

 90 to 99 per cent of the organic phosphorus compounds. In its stead the authors 

 recommend Siegfried and Singewald's method (E. S. R., 17, p. 635), which con- 

 sists " in making the aqueous extract slightly alkaline with ammonia, precipi- 

 tating the inorganic phosphorus with barium chlorid, filtering, concentrating 

 the filtrate, aiid in it determining the organic phosi)horus by Kjeldahl digestion, 

 precipitation as phosphomolybdate, and weighing as magnesium pyrophosphate. 



" The proportion of soluble organic in the total soluble phosphorus in meat 

 varies considerably in different animals and in different parts from the same 

 animal. The lowest recorded (26 per cent) had reference to an emaciated 

 steer, the highest (91 per cent) to a fat show steer. During cooking, a pi"o- 

 gressive splitting up of the organic phosphorus compounds takes place, and in 

 well-cooked meats practically the whole of the phosphorus is present in inor- 

 ganic combination." 



Contribution to the technique of detecting intracellular ferments, E. Abder- 

 HALDEN and H, Pringsheim {Ztschr. Physiol. Chcm., 65 {1910), No. 2, pp. 180- 

 184). — Attention is drawn to the fact that some enzym pi-ess juices obtained by 

 Buchner's method (E. S. R., 9, p. 923) do not show the presence of all the 

 enzyms which were originally present in the fresh animal or plant tissue. It 

 is therefore necessary to examine both the press juice and the press cake for 

 the presence of enzyms. 



