224 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



The utilization of locusts as fertilizer, P. Lavenir {An. Soc. Rural Argen- 

 tina, .'/l (1907), No. 53-5Ji, pp. 119-181). — Analyses of the whole insect and of 

 its different parts are reported. The dried and ground material (whole 

 insects) was found to contain 9.86 per cent of moisture, 9.94 per cent of fat 

 soluble in benzin, 9.71 per cent of nitrogen and 1.24 per cent of phosphoric acid. 

 The analyses thus indicate a high fertilizing value for the material. 



Mineral fertilizer, J. A. Wendel {Milwaukee, Wis., 1908, pp. 2.'/). — This pam- 

 phlet is practically an abridgment of a book published several years ago under 

 the title Bread from Stones, and advocates the exclusive use of finely ground 

 rocks as a means of maintaining soil fertility. 



On the absorptive capacity of peat litter when under high pressure, I. 

 LuGNER and H. vox Feilitzen {^vciiska Mos.skulturfor. Tidskr., 22 {1908), No. 

 1, pp. 36-41, figs. 3). — Experiments conducted by the authors showed that peat 

 litter with a high absorptive power is able to retain larger quantities of liquids 

 than a poor grade of litter, even if subjected to pressures of 0.8 to 1.6 lbs. per 

 square inch, corresponding to the pressure to which litter is subjected in a 

 manure pile up to a depth of 1 meter. 



Fertilizer trade in Hawaii, A. MARQUi:s {Engrais, 23 {1908), No. 9, p. 

 209). — It is reported that fertilizers to the value of $698,241 were imported into 

 Hawaii from the United States during the year 1906-7. This represents 80 to 8.') 

 per cent of the total amount used. 



Commercial fertilizers; a quarter century of fertilizer inspection, J. L. 

 Hills, C. H. Joxes, and C. Cutler {Vermont Sta. Bui. 135, pp. 59-141, dgms. 

 10). — The results of analyses of 130 brands of fertilizers, representing the out- 

 put of 11 companies, are reported and discussed in this bulletin. A survey of 

 25 years' fertilizer inspection in Vermont is also given: "A fertilizer control 

 has been conducted in Vermont since 1882. Before the system was inaugurated 

 fertilizers contained no potash, were very irregular and uncertain in composi- 

 tion, were costly, and fraud was rife. To-day the trade is systematized, brands 

 are relatively uniform year after year, and seriously deficient fertilizers are 

 uncommon." The quality of the fertilizers examined during the past year was 

 on the whole good. 



Mixing chemical fertilizers on the farm, F. W. IMorse {Neio Hampsliire 

 Sta. Circ. 1, pp. .'/). — It is maintained in this article that "mixing chemical 

 fertilizers is a simple mechanical process and can be done by any farmer," and 

 fox'mulas and methods are given. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTAJTI. 



The relation of plant societies to evaporation, E. N. Transeaxj {Bot. Gaz., 

 45 {1908), No. 4, pp. 217-231, figs. 9). — A study was made at about one dozen 

 stations on Long Island, X. Y., by means of the porous-cup vaporimeter tested 

 and recommended by the Desert Botanical Laboratory at Tucson, Ariz., to deter- 

 mine the relation between evaporation in the soil and the plants occupying any 

 given locality. It was found that the porous-cup vaporimeter is well adapted 

 'to the study of habitat conditions. Unlike many forms of instruments, it fur- 

 nishes data that can be directly related to the plant activity. Comparative 

 readings can be obtained from different habitats by standardizing the instru- 

 ments at the beginning of the experiments. 



Does phosphorus play a part in the production of chlorophyll? J. Stoklasa, 

 V. Brdlik, and J. Just {Bcr. Dent. Bot. Gesell., 26a {1908), No. 1, pp. 69-78).— 

 The former conclusions of one of the authors on the physiological importance 

 of phosphorus in the fox-mation of chlorophyll (E. S. R., 8, p. 108) having been 

 questioned, the previous experiments, in which leaves were extracted with ben- 



