24 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. f Vol. 35 



Potassium salts in Catalonia, C. Rubio and A. Marin (Bol. Inst. Gcol. 

 Espafia, 2. scr., J/f {191^), pp. 173-230; rev. in Eton. GcoL, 10 {l'J15), No. 6, pp. 

 5S6-5S8). — This report deals maiuly with the geology of the recently discovered 

 deposits of potassium salts in Catalonia, Spain. 



It is stated that the deposits of salts occur in a basin of marine sediments 

 of Eocene and Oligocene age. The most important developments have been 

 undertaken near the town of Suria. The tonnage of potassium salts in this 

 neighborliood computed on a provisional basis is carnallite 2,550,000 tons and 

 sylvinit 1,125,000 tons. It is stated that the carnallite of Suria is of a very red 

 color and contains from 11.52 to 15.26 per cent of potassium osid. 



German and other sources of potash supply, C. H. JIacDowell {Trans. 

 Anier. Inst. Mining Engin., 51 {1016), pp. Jt2It-Ji~n). — A discussion is given of 

 German and other sources of potash, with special reference to their commercial 

 aspects. 



Sodium and sodium salts, S. H. Salisbury, Jr. (In Tlic Mineral Industry: 

 Its Statistics, Technology, and Trade During 1914- New York and London: 

 McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1915, vol. 23, pp. 665-682) .—This report deals with the 

 world's production of sodium salts, especially sodium nitrate, with special refer- 

 ence to 1914 and previous years. A bibliography of works bearing on the sub- 

 ject is appended. 



Limestone: North Island analyses, B. C. Aston (Jour. Agr. [Neio Zeal.], 11 

 (1915), No. 3, pp. 2.?5-2^0).— Analyses of 242 samples of limestone from North 

 Island, New Zealand, are reported. 



A waste lime product, C. E. Thorne (Mo. Bui. Ohio Sta., 1 (1916), No. 4, 

 pp. 101, 102). — Attention is draAvn to the value of the waste lime products from 

 sodium carbonate factories as a lime fertilizer. 



The use of peat in commercial fertilizer, H. E. Wildeman (Jour. Amer. 

 Peat Soc, 9 (1916), No. 1, pp. 2S-35). — A discussion of the use of peat as a 

 fertilizer filler is given, together with a review of experiments from various 

 sources on the availability of the nitrogen of peat. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Relation of green manures to the failure of certain seedlings, E. B. Fred 

 (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 5 (1916), No. 25, pp. 1161-1176, pis. 2).— 

 In a previous report (E. S. R., 28, p. 816), a decreased germination of cotton 

 was noted immediately following green manures. In the present paper the 

 author describes a more extensive investigation of this phenomenon, con- 

 ducted at the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



The results of a series of laboratory studies indicate that green manures 

 may seriously injure the germination of certain seeds. This is believed to be 

 brought about by the action of certain parasitic fungi, the development of 

 which is favored by the decomposition of the green manure plants. As a rule, 

 oil seeds are easily damaged, while starchy seeds on the contrary are quite 

 resistant. Cotton seed and soy beans seem to be extremely sensitive to condi- 

 tions resulting from green manuring, and the germination of flax, peanuts, 

 hemp, mustard, and clover is reduced somewhat by the presence of decompos- 

 ing plant tissue. The damage to oil seeds from green manuring seems to be 

 confined largely to the first stages of decomposition, and experimental evidence 

 seems to indicate that two weeks after green manure is added, it does not 

 cause any injury to the seeds. Small applications of calcium carbonate seem 

 to increase the injury to germination. The rate of germination was found 

 to determine to a certain extent the degree of injury, slow germination being 

 marked by a high percentage of diseased seedlings. 



