METEOROLOGY WATER. 719 



hexamethylenetetramin. It depends on the exact determination of tlie amount 

 of ammonia and anhydrous citrie acid present in tlie solution. The ratio estab- 

 lished for the neutral solution is 1 : 3.765. 



Note on the distillation and composition of turpentine oil from the chir 

 resin, P. Singh (Indian Forest Rec, 4 (1912), No. 1, pp. 1-11). — Among the 

 subjects discussed are the general properties of turpentine oil ; methods of 

 turpentine distillation ; the chemical composition of turpentine oil from Pinus 

 longifolia; the utilization of turpentine residue in the manufacture of printing 

 ink ; a new method for the distillation of turpentine oil with acetic acid or methy- 

 lated spirit; recovery of acetic acid; details of redistillation experiments carried 

 out to improve the quality of the oil obtained by water distillation in 1908; 

 the quality of turpentine oil as required by railways and the Indian Ordnance 

 Department ; turpentine substitutes ; imports of turpentine oil into India ; and 

 the future outlook. 



Note on the clarification of Indian rosin, P. Singh (Indian Forest Rec, 

 4 (1912), No. 1, pp. 75-89). — The author concludes that the crude resin should 

 be classified in different grades according to its color and quality, which will 

 depend on the season and the number of years over which tapping has been 

 continuously carried out, and that the colophony resulting from the various 

 grades of resin should also be properly graded before sending to the market. 

 Melted rosin as it issues from the still must always be heated over an open 

 fire to drive off the last traces of the oil, and make it harder, less liable to 

 melt in transit, and produce a brighter appearance. In heating colophony 

 over an open fire, it is preferable to add gradually about 5 lbs. of water to a 

 charge of about 82.286 lbs. Dark rosin, while being heated over an open fire 

 should always be treated with crystalline alum and if necessary after clarifi- 

 cation exposed to sunlight for further bleaching. Any desired shade of color 

 can be given to colophony by clarifying it with a mixture of alum or niter or 

 both in the desired proportion. 



French bibliography concerning sugar and the sugar industry, A. J. 

 ScTJLiEB (Catalogue des Ouvrages speciaux de Languc frangaise concemant le 

 Sucre et LHndustrie Sucriere. Paris, 1911, pp. S40). — This is the bibliography 

 of L. S. Ware iu regard to sugar and the sugar industry, and deals especially 

 with the literature published in the French language. 



METEOROLGY— WATER. 



Climatic areas of the United States as related to plant growth, B. E. 

 Livingston (Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc, 52 (1913), No. 209, pp. 257-275, pis. 3). — 

 The author strongly emphasizes the need of quantitative studies of the climatic 

 relations of plants but states that " before such quantitative knowledge can be 

 attained it will be necessary that there be made available somewhere a labora- 

 tory so equipped that all of the main conditions of plant growth may be con- 

 trolled and altered at the will of the experimenter," as has been advocated by 

 De CaudoUe and Abbe (E. S. R., 17. p. M2; 28, p. 705). 



The inadequacy of meteorological and climatic methods and data at present 

 available is pointed out. " The weather services of the world are expending 

 vast amounts of wealth and energy in accumulating, year by year, observational 

 statistics bearing upon the various climatic areas. These statistics are largely 

 used for weather prediction and for the purposes of theoretical meteorology. 

 It seems that quantitative climatic descriptions must lie hidden somehow in 

 these enormous masses of figures, but the plant geographer, whether agricul- 

 turist or ecologist, has thus far been able to derive therefrom but a very small 

 amount of applicable informatioii," 



