METEOROLOGY— WATER. 423 



as coiuparetl with previous years, and the general seasonal conditions are dis- 

 cussed. The meteorological conditions of the year are reported as on the whole 

 favorable from an agricultural standpoint. 



Climatolog'y (Bui. Off. Etat IncUpend. Congo, 2-'t (IDOS), No. 5, Sup., pp. 

 167-190. (Ic/iiis. ft, DIG I) J). — The mean annual and monthly rainfall and number 

 of rainy days as observed during a number of years at various places in the 

 Congo Free State are shown in diagrams and the distribution of rainfall during 

 each month is shown on colored maps. 



Present trend of investig-ation on underground waters, J. F. Kemp (Abs. hi 

 Science, n. ser., 28 (1908), No. 715, p. 352). — This is an abstract of a paper pre- 

 sented before the New York Academy of Sciences in which the author states 

 that " within a few years there has been a marked change of views upon the 

 sources, distribution, and extent of underground waters. . . . Now a very large 

 number of geologists have come to regard the underground water as limited to a 

 comparatively shallow zone; to refer uprising heated waters from deeper zones 

 to magmatic sources in cooling and consolidating bodies of igneous rock ; and to 

 attribute some part of the underground waters to the same place of origin. In 

 the interpretation of ore bodies magmatic waters have been found to be much 

 more reasonable agents of deposition, in many cases, than are the meteoric." 



The author presents figures from which he concludes " that meteoric sources 

 and underground amounts have been much overestimated." 



A study of the waters of Rio Verde from the standpoint of potability and 

 agricultural value, ^I. P. I>.I!INa {Estac. Agr. E.rpt. Rio Vcnlc, t^aii Luis 

 Potosi, Bol. 2, pp. 63, pis. 9). — Detailed examinations of a number of samples 

 are reported and discussed from the standpoint of suitability for drinking pur- 

 poses and for use in irrigation. The waters are not as a rule suitable for 

 drinking purposes. They are generally very clear, but contain considerable 

 amounts of soluble salts. For these I'easons little benefit is derived by the soil 

 from use of the waters in warping, and soils receiving liberal applications of 

 the water should be well drained to prevent accumulation of alkali. 



Water supply for villag'es, W. Puixps {Jour. Bd. Agr. \ London]. 15 (1908). 

 No. 5, pp. 350-355). — The importance of giving more attention to providing an 

 adefiuate, wholesome, and cheap water supply for rural towns and villages is 

 pointed out. The number of dairy cows kept in a given locality is suggested as 

 a basis for estimating the amount of water required. 



A comparison is made of the consumption and cost of water with and Avithout 

 the use of meters. It was found in many cases that where the meter system 

 was not in use 10 to 20 gal. of water per head of stock was used. With the 

 meter system, however, the amount was greatly reduced. 



The broad irrigation sewage farm at Fresno, California (Engin. Rcc. 58 

 ( 1908), No. 8, pp. 207, 208, figs. 3). — This is a brief account of a sewage disposal 

 Iilant consisting of a septic tank and a tract of 812 acres of land suitable for 

 broad irrigation, which has been in quite satisfactory operation at Fresno, 

 California, since December 28, 1907. The plant disposes of the sewage of a 

 population of .30,000. 



Elements of water bacteriology, with special reference to sanitary water 

 analysis, S. C. Prkscott and C. E. A. Winslow {New York and London, 1908, 

 2. cd., pp. XII +258, fig. 1). — It is stated that the aim of the author in prepar- 

 ing this new edition was " to include the results of the work of the last four 

 years whicli bear on the practical investigation of sanitary questions connected 

 with water suiJi)ly." Considerable additions have been made to the treatment 

 of the in-oblems of self-puriflcation, the description of methods for the isolation 

 of the typhoid bacillus, the treatment of the interpretation of the colon test, an 

 account of the newer presumptive tests for BaciUus coll, and the discussion of 



