134 EXPEEIMENT STATIOIST EECOED. 



occurred 47 deficiencies in available phosphoric acid, 47 deficiencies in total 

 nitrogen, 12 deficiencies in potash, and 39 incorrect valuations, A list of manu- 

 facturers and dealers in commercial fertilizers registered under the California 

 fertilizer law is also given. 



Commercial fertilizers in 1914-15, G. S. Fraps {Texas Sta. Bui. 176 (1915), 

 pp. 3-25). — This bulletin contains actual and guarantied analyses of 331 samples 

 of fertilizers and fertilizing materials collected since September 1, 1914, in 

 Texas and a list of 504 brands registered for sale in the season of 1914-15, with 

 general notes and explanations. It is stated that only 17,500 tons of fertilizers 

 was sold in the State during the year 1914-15 as compared with 77,400 tons 

 the previous year. 



Facts about fertilizers licensed for sale in Wisconsin: Reports of analyses 

 for 1914, W. H. Stkowd {M'isconsin Sta. Bui 255 {1015), pp. 3-13, fig. 1).— 

 This bulletin gives general information regarding the purchase and use of com- 

 mercial fertilizers, and reports actual and guarantied analyses and valuations 

 of 41 samples of fertilizers and fertilizing materitils licensed for &nle in Wis- 

 consin during 1914 and of 11 samples of ground limestone and miscellaneous 

 unlicensed fertilizers, 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



A study of the influence of pod position upon viability and vig'or of seed- 

 lings, li, D. IlAi.sTKD ET AL. {^cw Jcrscy Stas. Rpt. 1914, PP- 317-321). — A prog- 

 ress report is given of investigations on the influence of position in the iwd of 

 seeds of soy beans, cowpeas. pea beans, Lima beans, and of com grains on the 

 cob, as shown by the viability and vigor of their seedlings. 



With soy beans in general the middle seeds were found to be most vigorous, 

 with those at the base of the pod the iworest, and the tip ones next in value for 

 planting. With pea beans and cowi)eas similar results were obtained. In Lima 

 beans the lightest seed are tho.se formed at the base of the ix)d, size and weight 

 increasing toward the tip. No relation between weight of Lima beau seed and 

 viability and vigor has been established. In corn the experiments showed the 

 superiority of seed from the middle of the ear, followed by the basal and tip 

 seeds in the order named. 



Abortiveness of ovules in connection with position in pod, B. D, Halsted 

 ET AL. (New Jersey Sfas. Rpt. 191. i, pp. 321-329). — Studios are reported on the 

 relation of abortiveness of ovules to viability and vigor of seeds and seedlings 

 in Canada peas, soy beans, Lima beans, and wistaria, and ahso notes are given 

 on abortiveness associated with position on the plant, the relation of prolificness 

 to heredity, size of fruit as related to position on the plant, and studies of 

 hypocotyl elongation. 



In beans, in coimection with the studies of abortiveness of ovules, there is 

 considered to be evidence of a direct connection between the percentage of 

 abortiveness and the vigor of the plants produced from the same i>osition in 

 the pod. 



In the hypocotyl elongation studies, it was found that the hypocotyl s of licans 

 are much longer in the field than in the greenhouse, while just the opposite result 

 was observed for the first internodes ; that is. the seedlings with the longest hyiio- 

 cotyls showed the .shortest internodes. For length above the first iuternode, 

 field and greenhouse measurements wore found to be parallel. 



The comparative morphology of the embryo and seedling in the Gram- 

 inese, Ethel Sakgant and Agnes Ai:her {Ann. Bot. [London], 29 {1915), Xo. 

 ll.'t, pp. 161-222, pis. 2, figs. 35). — Giving an account of the comparative anatomy 



