AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 325 



" Many experiments have been made in studying the influence of the radio- 

 elements, when freed from their ores, on the germination of seeds and the 

 growth of plants, and from the results obtained it is to be expected that in 

 botanical research, and possibly in greenhouse practice, where the results 

 obtaine<l may justify the expense involved, the radio-elements may prove of 

 considerable value; but when consideration is taken of the scarcity of these 

 elements it does not follow from any experiments yet described that such ele- 

 ments can have any practical application as a fertilizer in general farming. 



" Evidence is given to show that the action of uranium on plants is due to its 

 chemical properties rather than to its property of being radio-active, and that 

 the conflicting results obtained with radio-active manure from different sources 

 is to be explained largely by the presence of uranium, and of such nonradio- 

 active constituents as soluble salts and free acids." 



The fertilizing value of shoddy (Mark Lane Express, 112 (19 Vf), No. 4339, 

 p. 584)- — Brief reference is made to experiments carried out at Wye Agricul- 

 tural College, England, which indicated that shoddy is a useful and reliable 

 source of nitrogen especially when used in conjunction with, or as a substitute 

 for, barnyard manure and supplemented with applications of phosphate and 

 potash. 



In experiments with potatoes comparing combinations of barnyard manure, 

 phosphates, and potash with seaweed, fish guano, and shoddy the last named 

 combination gave decidedly the largest yield. 



Commercial fertilizers and agricultural lime, 1913 (Agr. Com. Ohio, Off. 

 Rpt. Com. Ferts., 1913, pp. 253). — ^Analyses and valuations of fertilizers licensed 

 for sale in Ohio during the year are reported, with general comments on the 

 results and a series of special popular articles relating to fertilizers as follows: 

 The Home Mixing of Fertilizers, Soil Analysis not a Sutficient Guide to the Use 

 of Fertilizers, Comparison of Carriers of Phosphorus in Fertilizers, Important 

 Questions and Answers Relative to the Use of Manures and Fertilizers, The 

 Nitrogen of the Fertilizer Sack, What is Lime? Raw Phosphate Rock as a 

 Fertilizer, and Field Experiments with Fertilizers, by C. E. Thorne; Twelve 

 Important Facts a Farmer Should Know When Purchasing Fertilizers, by H. G. 

 Bell ; The Phosphoric Acid in Phosphate Slag, Use of Fertilizers, and Analysis 

 of Commercial Fertilizers, by N. W. Lord ; The Manufacture and the Marketing 

 of Fertilizers, by J. T. Welch ; Fertilizing Problems, by A. Vivian ; Bone Fer- 

 tilizers, Potash, Filler or Make- Weight Materials, and Ammonia or Nitrogen, by 

 E. E. Somermeier; and Orchard Fertilization Work by the Ohio Experiment 

 Station in Southeastern Ohio, by F. H. Ballou. 



Report of analyses of samples of commercial fertilizers (New York State 

 8ta. Bid. 390 (1914), PP- 491-574). — Analyses of samples of fertilizers collected 

 during 1914 are reported. 



Tabulated analyses of commercial fertilizers, W. Fbear (Penn. Dept. Agr. 

 Bui. 255 (1914), PP- 93). — This bulletin gives the results of fertilizer inspection, 

 including analysis and valuations, in Pennsylvania from January 1 to August 

 1, 1914. 



AGEICULTTJRAL BOTANY. 



Size inheritance and the pure line theory, W. E. Castle (Ztschr. Induktive 

 Abstam. u. Vererbungslehre, 12 (1914), No. 3-4, pp. 225-237) .—The author gives 

 a discussion of size inheritance in its Mendelian aspect and also of the pure 

 line theory. 



In regard to the first, he summarizes his own observations and those of 

 others as follows : " When animals or plants are crossed which have racial 



