^l^ EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. [Vol.35 



If it is desired to maintain the acidity of the wine the decrease can be 

 checked by lowering the temperature or by fumigation. 



It is indicated that this method of decreasing the acidity of wines by means 

 of pure cultures of yeast bacteria is still in its infancy, and it is hoped that 

 other bacteria will be found which can resist larger amounts of alcohol and 

 acids than those used at present, viz, Saccharomyces apiculatus, S. ellipsoideus, 

 and Bacillus gracilis. 



A handbook for cane-sugar manufacturers and their chemists, G. L. Spen- 

 CEE (New York: John Wiley d Sons, Inc., 1916, 5. ed., rev. and eM., pp. XV+ 

 629, pi. 1, figs. 93).— This is the fifth edition, parUy rewritten and enlarged, of 

 this well-known handbook. The section devoted to manufacture has been 

 greatly enlarged, and the processes in use in the manufacture of raw, planta- 

 tion white, and refined sugars are described in detail. Methods for the analysis 

 of sugar and the chemical control of the factory are given, together with pro- 

 cedures for the examination of various materials used in the process of manu- 

 facture. Many tables of value to sugar chemists and also of general interest 

 are included. 



Osage orange waste as a substitute for fustic dyewood, F. W. Keessmann 

 (t7. S. Dept. Agr. Yearboolc 1915, pp. 201-204) .—The dyestufE obtained from 

 Osage orange waste has been found, by actual trial in the tannery, to be of 

 value in dyeing leather, as it gives the same shades and depth of color as fustic. 

 Its application to cotton dyeing has not been fully demonstrated, although it 

 is indicated that it could probably be used for the cheaper grades of twines 

 and cords. 



See also a previous note (E. S. R., 32, p. 613). 



Ground-wood pulp, J. H. Thickens and G. C. McNaughton ( U. S. Dept. Agr. 

 Bui. 343 (1916), pp. 151, pis. 12, figs. ^^).— This bulletin reports the results of 

 tests on (1) the grinding of cooked and uncooked spruce and (2) substitutes 

 for spruce in the manufacture of ground-wood pulp. 



Complete data obtained from the tests are submitted in tabular form, and 

 to some extent discussed. Samples of the paper made from the 25 different 

 woods used, some of which were used in actual printing tests, are also 

 submitted. 



METEOROLOGY. 



Agricultural meteorology, J. W. Smith (17. S. Mo. Weather Rev., 44 (1916), 

 No. 2, pp. 7//, 75). — This article, which is an abstract of a paper presented at 

 the Second Pan American Scientific Congress (E. S. R., 34, p. 308), defines 

 agricultural meteorology, refers briefly to work along this line by the Weather 

 Bureau and reports investigations by the author in the study of critical periods 

 of farm crops in Ohio, especially by means of the curve chart and the dot chart 

 as well as by calculation of the correlation coefhcieut. The crops included in 

 the study were corn, potatoes, and winter wheat and the periods covered 

 between 50 and 60 years. 



It was fcjuiKl that the most important weather factor for both corn and pota- 

 toes is rainfall and the critical month July. Temperature was found to be the 

 post important weather factor in the case of winter wheat and the critical 

 month March. The critical rainfall for July in the case of corn is 3 in. It 

 appears that July must be wet and moderately warm for the best crop of corn, 

 but cool and nK)derately wet for the best gi-owth of potatoes. The most im- 

 portant 10-day period for corn was found to be that immediately following blos- 

 soming when the weather must be wet and moderately cool. For potatoes the 

 10 days following blossoming must be cool and moderately wet. The most 



