1919] SOILS FEfeMLlZERS. 211 



inittee consists of F. Sbreve and A. E. Cameron. During 1917 more tlian 30 

 stations were maintained in portions of Canada and practically all parts of 

 the United States, and at most of these nearly complete records for the year 

 were secured. 



Report of the department of meteorolog'y, J. E., Chukch, jr. (Nevada Sta. 

 Rpt. 1918, pp. 50-52, fig. 1). — This is mainly a brief account of progress in the 

 snow surveying and forecasting work which has been carried on by the depart- 

 ment for several years. Attention is called especially to the accuracy of fore- 

 casts of stream flow based on snow surveys. 



Climate and meteorology [of Canada], F. Stupart et al. {Canada Yearbook, 

 1918, pp. 154-165). — This article sunnnarizes the principal climatic events and 

 conditions of C'anada since confederation, and the weather of each month 

 of 1917, 



Climate of Sao Paulo, J. N. Belfort Mattos (Bol. Agr. [Sao Paulo], 19. ser., 

 No. 5-7 (WIS), pp. 507-562) .—The climatic characteristics as related to health 

 and plant growtli of different districts of the State are discussed on the basis 

 of observations extending over various periods up to 28 years. 



The lunar tide in the atmosphere, S. Chapman (Nature [London], lOS 

 (1919), No. 25S4, pp. 185-187, fig. J).— This article briefly discusses the lunar 

 semidiurnal tide in the atmosphere at Greenwich, as determined from the Green- 

 wich records of bai'ometrie pressure, 1854-1917. 



The lunar tide in the earth's atmosphere, S. Chapman (Quart. Jour. Roy. 

 Met. Soc. [London], Ji5 (1919), No. 190, pp. 113-139, fig. i).— This article re- 

 views present knowledge on the subject and discusses " certain new determina- 

 tions of the lunar diurnal variation of barometric pressure for Batavia and 

 Hongkong." The variation is attributed to tidal action of the moon on the 

 earth's atmosphere, certain unexpected features of which, of theoretical in- 

 terest, are dealt with in some detail. 



Atmospheric pollution, J. W. Redway (Quart. Jour. Ro\j. Met. Soc. [Lon- 

 don], 45 (1919), No. 190, pp. i67-16i>).— Studies made at Mount Vernon, N. Y., 

 showing the menace to health of the wind-blown dust of city streets are briefly 

 discussed. 



SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 



Beconnoissance soils survey of the Middle San Joaquin Valley. Cal., L. C. 

 Holmes, E. C. Eckmann, J. W. Nelson, and J. E. Guernsey (U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Adv. Sheets Field Oper. Bur. Soils, 1916, pp. 115, pis S, fig. 1, map 1). — ^This 

 survey, made in cooperation with the California Experiment Station, deals with 

 the soils of an area of 2,84G,720 acres lying near the geographical center of the 

 State and comprising parts of Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties. The area 

 includes approximately the central third of the San Joaquin Valley. Previous 

 surveys dealing with the Sacramento Valley (E, S. R., 34, p. 120) and the Lower 

 San Joaquin Valley (E. S. 11., 40, p. 118), together with the present survey, 

 constitute a reconnoissance of the Great Interior Valley. 



The topography of the region is somewhat mountainous. Natural drainage is 

 said to be well established on the upper valley slopes but inadequate over ex- 

 tensive lower areas. The soils of the area comprise residual material from the 

 underlying consolidated rocks, old valley-fllling and coastal plain material, re- 

 cent alluvial material, and wind-laid material. In addition to rough stony land 

 38 soil types representing 19 series are mapped. Panoche loams, occupying 12.6 

 per cent of the total area, are the prevailing types. 



Soil survey of the Santa Maria area, Cal., F. B. Watson and A. Smith 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Adv. Sheets Field Oper. Bur. Soils, 1916, pp. /j8, pis. I,, fig. 1, 



