724 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 37 



excellent bedding with very little dust. It was found to be very absorbent 

 both of water and gases, destroyed disagreeable stable odors, and made an 

 excellent small-grained manure which was easily and uniformly spread under 

 the plow. Compressed turf was also found to be cheaper, occupy less storage 

 space, and to be less dangerous as regards fire than straw. The resulting 

 manure was found to contain from 0..5 to 1 per cent of nitrogen, 0.2 per cent 

 of phosphoric acid, 1.3 per cent of sulphuric acid. 0.2 per cent of potassium, 

 1.2 per cent of calcium, and 2.1 per cent of magnesium. 



Artificial fertilizers, their present use and future prospects, E. J. Russki.i. 

 (Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 36 {1911), No. 5, pp. 250-261, fig. 1).—The author 

 reviews the commercial fertilizer situation, dealing especially with the general 

 production and use, manner of use, and results obtained therefrom in Europe 

 under war-time conditions. 



The American fertilizer handbook (Philadelphia: Ware Bros. Co., 1917. 10. 

 ed., pp. [W], figs. 10). — This handbook contains the usual data and informa- 

 tion relating to the fertilizer industry (E. S. R., 36, p. 124). Among the more 

 important special articles included are the following: Dictionary of Fertilizer 

 Materials, by T. C. Pinkerton ; The Sulphuric Acid Industry, by A. M. Fairlie ; 

 Sulphate of Ammonia Statistics; Fertilizers and Farm EJfliciency, by J. W. 

 Henceroth ; Use Fertilizers to Keep More Stock, by S. B. Haskell ; Sulphur, 

 by P. S. Smith; Potash Salts; 1915, by W. C. Phalen ; and Potash, 1916. by 

 H. S. Gale. 



Commercial fertilizers, W. J. .Tones, jr., E. G. Proitlx, R. B. Deemeb. R. O, 

 BiTi.KB, and H. C. Mugg (Indiana Sta. Bui. 199 (1917), pp. S-IH. figs. 2).— This 

 is the report of official fertilizer inspection and analyses in Indiana for 1916. 

 Including information on the selection, purchase, use, and home mixing of fer- 

 tilizers. 



Pvesults of fertilizer inspection, spring season 1917, A. J. Patten (Michi- 

 gan Sta. C'irc. SS (1917). pp. S). — This is the report of fertilizer inspection and 

 analyses in Mirhignn for the spring season of 1917. " Of the HIS samples 

 analyzed. 13o (26 per cent) were found to be below guaranty in one or more 

 constituents and 92 (17.8 per cent) were below guaranty in potash." 



AGEICULTTTRAL EOT ANY. 



Matroclinic inheritance in mutation crosses of CEnothera reynoldsii, C. D. 

 La Rue and H. H. Baktlett (Amer. Jour. Bot.. 4 (1917). No. S, pp. 119-lU, 

 figs. 4). — This paper is concerned primarily with the type of inheritance pre- 

 viously discussed (E. S. R.. 35, p. 128) as mass mutation. 



It has been found that the mutations characteristic of mass mutation in 

 CB. reynoldsii, when crossed either way among themselves or with the parent 

 form, give progeny conforming exactly to the type of tlie pistillate parent. The 

 author states that in CE. reynoldsii mass mutation consists iu the production of 

 inordinate numbers of mutations of several characteristic types by certain indi 

 viduals. which may be looked upon as having undergone a premutative modi- 

 fication. Their production of a large number of abortive seeds is regarded as 

 one manifestation of mutability. The characteristic mutations form a series, 

 each member of which may give rise to a succeeding member, such a series 

 being that formed by the mutants sotiialta, clebilis. and hilonga. 



The observed facts of inheritance are supposed to be best explained by the 

 hypothesis that two types of nonequivalent gametes, designated as a and /3. 

 are normally produce<l, the a ffametes being usually eggs and the /3 gametes 

 sperms, the mutant hilonga, however, producing both a and /3 sperms. Muta- 

 tation in CE. reynoldsii consists in the modification in a gametes of factors 



