1917] METEOROLOGY. 417 



Fyroligaeous acid was found to retard the vulcanization somewhat, although 

 the effect was not constant. Tlie acid distilled from the mangrove had a more 

 marl^ed effect than that distilled from the rubber wood. The results are 

 discussed in detail. 



Notes on the rubber from Eucommia ulmoides, A. F. Sievers {Jour. Amer. 

 Chem. Soc, 39 {1911), No. J,, pp. 725-731, fig. i).— Extraction data of the elastic 

 constituent of the bark of E. ulmoides, solubility of the ether-extracted caout- 

 chouc in various solvents, percentage of elastic constituent extracted from the 

 bark by various solvents and in various time periods under constant agita- 

 tion, comparative effect of various solvents on caoutchouc from Eucommia as 

 compared with genuine specimens of crude rubber, and relative rapidity of 

 solvent action of various organic solvents on a Siam, a Ceylon, and a Eucommia 

 specimen of rubber are submitted and discussed. 



The artificial drying of tobacco, O. Df. Veies {Proefstat. Vorstenland. Tahak 

 [Dutch East hidies], Meded. 10 U914], pp. 1-13, figs. 3). — Experiments on the 

 artificial drying of tobacco are described and discussed. The value of the 

 control of ventilation, temperature, and humidity in artificial drying is indi- 

 cated. 



METEOROLOGY. 



A new system of weather prediction, R. Paresce {Sci. Amer. Sup., 83 {1917), 

 No. 2165, p. JfOS, figs. 4). — This is a brief review of a report by F. Vercelli on 

 perodic oscillations and prediction of atmospheric pressure. It is claimed 

 that these furnish a ba'sis for predicting weather conditions months in ad- 

 vance. 



Normal anomalies of the mean annual temperature variation, H. Abctow- 

 SKi {Phil. Mag. and Jour. Sci., 6. ser., S3 (1917), No. L98, pp. y/S7-//9J, figs. 4).— 

 It is stated that if in case of long series of observations the averages for 

 each day of the year are taken into consideration instead of monthly means, 

 curves representing the annual variations of atmospheric temperature show 

 most remarkable anomalies. From a study of certain typical examples of such 

 curves, the author reaches the conclusion "that in a comparative study of the 

 anomalies of the annual temperature variation Teisserenc de Bort's con- 

 ception of the great centers of action of atmospheric circulation will find an 

 extensive application ; because, although at present it would be premature to 

 try to explain why it is that some changes of phase may occur simultaneously 

 in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, or in North America and Siberia, it seems 

 impossible to conceive such correlations without supposing some relationship 

 with the exchange of pressure between the seasonal and permanent centers of 

 action." 



Effect of short period variations of solar radiation on the earth's atmos- 

 phere, H. H. Clayton {Smithsn. Misc. Collect., 68 {1917), No. 3, pp. 18, pis. 

 8, figs. 3). — Using the Pearson method in correlating the bolometric measure- 

 ments of variations in solar radiation as recorded by Abbott and his associates 

 at the Mount Wilson observatory with atmospheric changes as observed at 

 Pilar in central Argentina, the author concludes "(1) that there is an intimate 

 relation between solar changes and meteorological changes of short period, and 

 that measurements of solar radiation like those made by Dr. Abbott and his 

 associates have the greatest importance for meteorology; (2) that there is a 

 class of meteorological changes which have their origin in equatorial regions, 

 and by a transference of air, probably in the upper layers, are felt within a 

 few days in higher latitudes. These changes are the complement of the com- 

 plex meteorological drift which goes from west to east in temperate latitudes 

 with a component of motion from pole to equator in both hemispheres." 



