528 EXPEEIMENT STATION KECORD. 



Fertilizers to the value of $1,773,861 were imported Into Canada during the 

 year ended Februai-y 29, 1912. 



Data regarding the relative care and use of farm manures in the different 

 I'rovinces are given. 



The fertilizer industry {Thirteenth Census U. S., 10 (1910), pp. 575-585, 

 figg^ 2), — Statistics of the fertilizer industry in the United States for 1909 are 

 summarized and discussed, and the growth of the industry since 1859 is indi- 

 cated. In 1909 there were 550 fertilizer establishments, employing 21,950 per- 

 sons, representing a capital of $121,537,451, and yielding products valued at 

 $103,960,213. 



AGRICTTLTTJEAL BOTANY. 



Indicator sig'nificance of veg-etation in Tooele Valley, Utah, T. H. Keabney 

 ET AL. {U. S. Dept. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 1 {WW, No. 5, pp. 365-^17, pis. 

 7, figs. 13). — A study is reported of the vegetation of the Tooele Valley in 

 central Utah in which an attempt was made to correlate the distribution of 

 the vegetation with the physical and chemical properties of the soil with a 

 view to ascertaining the agricultural value of the soil. 



It was found that in this valley the different types of native vegetation 

 indicated the conditions of soil moisture and salinity of the land on which 

 they were found and afforded a basis for estimating its capabilities for crop 

 production. The sagebrush {Artemisia iridentata) association indicates land 

 well adapted to both dry land and irrigation farming. The Kochia {K. ves- 

 tita) association areas are adapted to irrigation farming, although the impervi- 

 ous nature of the soil might hinder washing out the salts to a depth which 

 would permit profitable crop production. The shadscale {Atriplex conferti- 

 foUa) association occupies land in which dry farming is rather precarious, 

 but where water is available for irrigation the salts could probably be leached 

 to a greater depth than on Kochia land. The grease wood-shadscale {Sarco- 

 tatus vermicitlatus and A. confei-tifoUa) association occupies land that is 

 strongly saline below the depth of the first foot and is not suitable for dry 

 farming, but can be made to produce good crops under irrigation if drainage 

 is provided. The presence of the grass flat vegetation indicates a soil of high 

 moisture capacity, somewhat saline, and rot suitable for crop production unless 

 drained. The salt flats are not adapted to crop production under present 

 conditions. 



Stomatal characteristics of varieties of sug-ar cane, W. R. Dunlop {West 

 Indian Bui., 13 {1913), No. 4, PP- SU-323, pis. 2).— A study has been made of 

 varieties of sugar cane to determine whether there is any relation between the 

 stomata of the leaves and the resistance of plants to drought. A considerable 

 number of varieties were microscopically examined, and it was found that 

 stomatal density per unit of area is so characteristic of certain varieties that 

 this factor may be used in their recognition. There seems to be some evi- 

 dence that susceptibility to drought is affected by extremes as regards the 

 ratio of the total stomatal area to the entire area of the foliage. The curling 

 of the leaves is considered more important in limiting the effective action of 

 the stomata than the stomata themselves. It is thought that the distribution 

 of certain varieties of cane would be limited to definite regions were it not for 

 the correlation between leaf habit and stomatal characteristics. 



Stomata and droug-ht resistance in maize, H. A. Wageb {So. African Jour. 

 Sci., 9 {1913), No. 8, pp. 183-185). — The author reports on a study of the rela- 

 tionship between number of stomata present and power of drought resistance 

 In leaves of Indian com. It is stated that the stomata were larger but less 



