326 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



soil, seasonal conditions, and the crop grown. Corn was injured by borax on 

 sandy soil and muck more than on clay and on acid soils more than on neutral 

 soils. The decrease in corn yield caused by borax was in direct proportion to 

 the decrease in stand. The borax caused its injury at germination time and 

 in the early stages' of growth. Rains either before or after using a fertilizer 

 containing borax caused the borax to be diffused and fixed and the damage was 

 less. 



The only potash containing much borax came from Searles Lake, Cal. This 

 potash gave good crop increases and caused no injury when applied broad- 

 cast. 



Most American potash salts do not contain borax, and so far as tests have 

 been made the indications ai"e that thej^ are equally as good as German potash 

 salts. Six different forms of American potash salts from various sources were 

 compared with three standard Germ-an potash salts on soils di'ticient in potash. 

 The crop increases for 12 plats with American potash averaged. 20.3 bu. of corn 

 per acre. The crop increases for 12 plats with German potash averaged 20.4 

 bu. per acre. 



Analyses of coniniercial fertilizers and ground bone; analyses of agri- 

 cultural lime, C. S. Cathcart et al. {New Jersey Stas. Bui. 3^0 {1919), pp. 

 5-54). — This bulletin contains the results of actual and guarantied analyses of 

 220 samples of fertilizers and fertilizer materials offered for sale in New 

 Jersey during 1919, together with a discussion of the total fertilizer inspection 

 in the State for the year. 



Analyses are also included of 13 samples of burned limes, 9 limestones, and 

 4 lime by-products. 



The Connecticut fertilizer law {Connecticut State Sta. Bui. Inform. 9 {1919), 

 pp. S). — The text and a brief explanation of important features of the Con- 

 necticut fertilizer inspection law of 1919 is given. 



Fertilizer analyses, A. J. Patten et al. {Michigan Sta. Bui. 287 {1919), pp. 

 62). — This bulletin contains the results of actual and guarantied analyses of 

 1,083 samples of fertilizers and fertilizer materials representing 342 brands 

 offered for sale in Michigan during 1919. Of the samples analyzed 24.7 per 

 cent were below the guaranty in one or more constituents, of which the greatest 

 number were deficient in potash, followed in order by available phosphoric 

 acid, nitrogen, and total phosphoric acid. 



Registered brands of fertilizers and lime, J. W. Kellogg {Penn. Dept. Agr. 

 Bui. 338 {1920), pp. 48). — This bulletin reviews the text of the Pennsylvania 

 fertilizer inspection law and contains a list of fertilizer manufacturers and 

 brands of their fertilizers for which licenses to sell in Pennsylvania during 

 1920 were taken out prior to March 1, 1920. 



AGRICULTTJRAL BOTANY. 



Plant succession and plant distribution in South Africa, J. W. Bews 

 {Ann. Bot. [London], 34 {1920), No. 134, PP- 287-297).— Willis's "age and area" 

 law is discussed, and in general, accepted by the present author. He points 

 out, however, that it will apply only to regions where conditions are fairly 

 uniform, and that in South Africa, where climatic variations are extreme, its 

 operation is greatly modified. 



The effect of the frosts of the winter of 1916-17 on vegetation, E. A. 

 Bowles {Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc, 43 {1919), No. 2-3, pp. 888-461).— The winter of 

 1916-17 is said to have been the most severe since that of 1894-95, and is con- 

 sidered to offer a fair test of the hardiness of plants. An account is given, 



