RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNY. 



The art of searching chemical literature, H, Hibbekt {Chem. and Metal. 

 Engin., 20 (1919), No. 11, pp. 518-581). — In this article the question of conduct- 

 ing a search of the chemical literature is dealt with particularly from the 

 point of view of the technical chemist. Methods are suggested, and journals 

 and reference books listed, for the systematic investigation of the literature ou 

 organic chemistry, biochemistry, and mining and metallurgical chemistry. At- 

 tention is called to special literature for specific information and to certain 

 general indexes. 



The condensed chemical dictionary, F. M. Tuknek, jb., D. D. Bebolzheimeb, 

 W. P. Cutter, and J. Helfkich (A^ew York: Chem. Cat. Co., Inc., 1919, pp. 

 525). — This reference book of information regarding chemicals and chemical 

 materials ordinarily met with in commerce is designed especially for non- 

 chemists such as exporters and importers, brokers and jobbers, financial houses, 

 lawyers, librarians, purchasing agents, insurance companies, etc., who come in 

 contact with chemical industries. 



The data compiled for each substance consist In general of the chemical and 

 commercial names, formula, physical properties, analytical constants, deriva- 

 tion, grades, containers, uses, fire hazard, and railroad shipping regulations. 

 Although the properties described have been restricted to those likely to be 

 of commercial importance and many substances of scientific interest but of 

 no commercial importance have been omitted entirely, it is the hope of the 

 authors that the dictionary will be of considerable value to the chemist as 

 well as to the nontechincal user. 



Handbook of chemical preparations, a reference book for workers in chemi- 

 cal laboratories, L. Vanino (Handbuch der Prdparativen Chemie, ein Hilfs- 

 biich fur das Arheiten im Chemischen Laboratorium. Stuttgart: Ferdinand 

 Enke, 1913, vol. 1, pp. XX+610, figs. 82; 1914, vol. 2, pp. XVI+849, figs. 26).— 

 This handbook, the aim of which is set forth in the subtitle, consists of two 

 volumes, tlie first dealing with inorganic and the second with organic prepara- 

 tions. Substances of only special interest and methods which are considered 

 of doubtful value are purposely omitted, but for each of the large number of 

 elements and compounds selected a choice of several methods of preparation 

 is given, with references to the original literature and with a summary of the 

 important properties of the substances in its pure state. 



Beports of the progress of applied chemistry (Ann. Rpts. Soo. Ghent. Indus. 

 [London] Prog. Appl. Chem., 1918, vol. S, pp. 495; abs. in Nature [London], 103 

 (1919), No. 2596, pp. 421-423). — This volume contains the following sections: 

 Plant and Machinery, by J. W. HInchley ; Fuel, by J. T. Dunn ; Gas, De.structive 

 Distillation, Tar Products, by A. Meade ; Mineral Oils, by A. Ptillip ; Coloring 

 Matters and Dyes, by G. T. Morgan ; Fibers, Textiles, Cellulose, and Paper, 

 by J. F. Briggs; Bleaching, Dyeing, Printing, Finishing, by S. H. Higglns; 

 Acids, Alkalis, Salts, Etc., by H. A. Auden ; Glass, Refractories, by W. J. Rees; 

 Metallurgy of Iron and Steel, by C. O. Bannister ; Metallurgy of the Nonferrous 



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