AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 323 



Lime and its relation to agriculture, P. G. Wicken (Jour. Dept. Agr. West. 

 Aust., IG (1008), Xo. 2, pp. 130-134). — This article briefly describes metliods of 

 bnrniug lime, different forms of lime, and methods of application adapted to 

 conditions in Western Australia. 



Vegetable ash as a manure, W. Guerrero (Chcm. Trade Jour., Jf2 {1908), 

 'So. 1090, p. 350). — Attention is called to the beneficial effect of applications of 

 ashes both as a direct source of plant food and as a means of rendering other 

 fertilizing materials more available. The extensive use of ashes on the Conti- 

 nent of Europe is, illustrated bj^ the fact that 22,000 to 24,000 tons of ashes are 

 used per annum in the olive industry alone. 



Fertilizer and oil, M. C. Marsh and J. N. Cobb ( U. 8. Dept. Com. and Labor, 

 Bur. Fisheries Doc. 632, p. 55). — This is a brief note included in a report on the 

 lisheries of Alaska in 1907, giving statistics of production of fish fertilizer and 

 oil in that Territory. It is stated that there is only one fertilizer plant now in 

 operation in Alaska. This is located at Killisnoo. The amount of fertilizer 

 prepared during 1907 at this factory was " 502 tons from herring, valued at 

 $17,020, and 88 tons from salmon, valued at $2,980 ; while the oil extracted 

 amounted to 80,877 g;il. from herring, valued at $16,175, and 14,123 gal. from 

 salmon, valued at $2,825." 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, P. F. Trowbridge {Missouri Sta. Bui. 

 80, pp. 3-l.'i). — This bulletin gives the results of inspection of fertilizers in 

 Missouri during the spring of 1908. Analyses of 69 samples are reported. At- 

 tention is called to the fact that a large number of fertilizers failed to meet the 

 guaranty of the manufacturers. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, II. M. vStackiiouse and M. B. Hardin 

 {South Carolina Sta. Bui. 138, pp. 3-.'iO). — This is a report in the usual form of 

 the results of the inspection of 744 samples of fertilizers collected during the 

 season of 1907-8. 



Comments upon the State fertilizer law, A. L. Knisely {Oregon Sta. Bui. 

 97, pp. 3-11). — This law took effect June 1, 1907. It requires that all fertilizing 

 materials (except land plaster and lime) selling for more than $5 per ton shall 

 be sold under guarantied analysis, that the source of the fertilizing ingredients 

 must be plainly stated on each package or lot, and that certificates must be filed 

 with the experiment station, the director of which is empowered to enforce the 

 law. Violations of the law are punishable by confiscation of the goods. A 

 license fee of $20 for each brand is required. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



Report of the department of botanical research, D. T. MacDottgal {Car- 

 negie Inst. Washington Year Book, 6 {1907), pp. 57-68, pis. 3, fig. 1). — ^A sum- 

 mary is given of the investigations carried on at the botanical research labo- 

 ratory near Tucson, Ariz., an outline of which has been previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 18, p. 726). Among the leading investigations are studies of the 

 advance and resession of vegetation in the depressed basins of the Colorado 

 Eiver and the inductive influence of physical factors on vegetation. 



In the Colorado Delta a number of stations have been located where the 

 advance and recession of plants will be studied. This region has been subject 

 to recent overflow, and a sample of the water taken June .3 showed on analysis 

 that it contained 364.8 parts soluble solids in 100,000. The proportions of 

 sodium, chloriu, and sulphates are high, and the restoration of plant covering 

 must be preceded by leaching and capillary action. Exact observations on the 

 changes in the soil and vegetation are expected to offer evidence of value bear- 

 ing on the distributional movements of plants, 



61717— No. 4—08 3 



