METEOROLOGY WATER. . 41*7 



Dates of frost.— Jjast; May 6 ; first, September 23. Dates of snow.— L,ast, March 

 14 ; first, October 27. 



Report on the work of the station of agricultural climatology of Juvisy 

 during 1909, C. Flammarion (Bui. Mens. Off. Renscig. Agr. [Paris], 9 {1910), 

 No. 10, pp. 1133-llJi9, figs. 6). — The usual summaries of observations on tem- 

 perature of the air, soil, and underground water, atmospheric pressure, rela- 

 tive humidity, rainfall, and sunshine and cloudiness are given. 



Changes in climate since the last glacial period in Germany, T. Abldt 

 (Naturw. Rundschau, 25 {1910), Nos. 7/7, pp. 599-602; -JS, pp. 611-61 'i).— Recent 

 contributions to the subject of changes of climate during different geological 

 periods are reviewed. 



The fertilizing value of rain and snow, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms 

 Rpts, 1910, pp. 216-218). — This is a brief report of a continuation of previous 

 investigations (E. S. R., 22, p. 316), summarizing the results for the three years 

 ended February 28, 1910. 



The amounts of nitrogen brought down to the soil in rain and snow during 

 the three years were 4.323, 8.364, and 6.869 lbs. per acre respectively. Approxi- 

 mately 85 per cent of the total nitrogen was furnished by the rain and 15 per 

 cent by the snow. Of the total nitrogen, approximately 65 per cent was free 

 and organic ammonia and 35 per cent nitrates and nitrites. 



The constitution of water {Trans. Faraday Soc, 6 {1910), No. 1, pp. 71-123, 

 figs. 13; abs. in Cheni. Trade Jour., 1,6 {1910), No. 1199, pp. ^78, 479).— This is 

 a series of papers bearing on this subject presented before the Faraday Society 

 as follows: Is Water an Electrolyte? by P. Walden; The Chemical Nature of 

 Molecular Association — A Special Study of the Case of Water, by P. A. Guye; 

 Liquid Water a Ternary Mixture — Solution Volumes in Aqueous Solutions, by 

 W. R. Bousfield and T. M. Lowry ; and The Specific Heat of Ice, Water, and 

 Water Vapor, by W. Nernst. General discussion of the subject by various 

 investigators is also reported. 



The genesis and function of the dew-pond, H. Gibson {Symons's Met. Mag., 

 45 {1910), No. 532, pp. 63-67; Jour. Roy. Soc. Arts, 58 {1910), No. 3011, pp. 

 847-849). — The author maintains in this article that the term dew-pond is a 

 misnomer and that the water collected in such ponds is derived from rain. He 

 discourages the construction of dew-ponds. 



The dew fiction, H. Gibson {Pastoralisfs' Rev., 20 {1910), No. 4, pp. 403- 

 405). — This article sets forth the same views as those noted above. 



Dew-ponds, W. G. Cox {Pastoralists' Rev., 20 {1910), No. 6, pp. 645, 646, 

 fig. 1). — The author recommends the trial of dew-ponds in Australia. 



Bacteriological standards in water analysis, E. J. McWeeney {Jour. Roy. 

 Sanit. Inst., 31 {1910), No. 7, pp. 263-276).— In the author's opinion a complete 

 routine bacteriological analysis should include determinations of (1) physical 

 properties, (2) general germ content, (3) content in organisms of presumably 

 intestinal origin, and (4) microscopic examination of the sediment. He de- 

 scribes standard characters of 1 cc. gelatin and agar plates for (1) pure water, 

 (2) dirty water, and (3) sewage. 



Water analyses, S. C. Dinsmore {Nevada 8ta. Bui. 72, pp. 40-44). — Mineral 

 analyses of the water supply of six towns in Nevada are reported. In three 

 cases the water was obtained from wells. 



The water supply of farm homesteads, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms 

 Rpts. 1910, j)p. 218-221). — Analyses of 79 samples of water are reported, of 

 which 31 were considered wholesome, 26 suspicious, 11 seriously contaminated, 

 and 11 saline. Attention is called to the unwholesome condition of much of the 

 farm water supply, but it is stated that over the larger part of the Dominion it 



