516 EXPERIMENT STATION KECOED. 



The role of the septic tank in the biological purification of sewage water, 

 A. C'ALMETTE and E. Rolants {Rev. Ilyg. ct Pol. ^anit., 30 {1908), No. 8, pp. 

 633~GJi3). — The authors take issue with those investigators who assert that the 

 action of septic tanks is purely mechanical, and report investigations which 

 show that a large amount of decomposition of putrescible substances occurs in 

 the tanks, only the difficultly decomposable materials remaining behind and 

 being precipitated. 



Comparison of broad irrigation and intensive biolog'ical purification of 

 sewage. Bezault {Ahs. in Rev. Sci. [Paris], 5. ser., 10 {1908), No. 6, pp. 181, 

 182; Engrais, 23 {1908), No. 39, pp. 926, 927).— Some ol^jections to the use of 

 irrigation as the sole means of disposal are pointed out. 



The agricultural utilization of sewage, Bechmann et al. {Ann. >S'e/. Agron., 

 3. scr., 3 {190S), I. pp. 180-193). — This is a summary of reports on this subject 

 madeto the Eighth International Congress of Agriculture at Vienna in May, 1907. 

 The present status of sewage irrigation in different countries is briefly pre- 

 sented and the advantages and disadvantages of this method of disposal are 

 pointed out. It is shown that under certain conditions sewage irrigation has 

 been successfully used as a means of disposal, but that in many cases it is im- 

 practicable on account of the large area of land required. For this reason It 

 has been found in many cases desirable to combine sewage irrigation with other 

 methods of purification. 



[Sewage irrigation at Pasadena], W. J. Weight {Mich. Farmer, 131 {1908), 

 No. 3, p. 43, figs. 2). — This is a brief account of the use of sewage by the city 

 of Pasadena in the growing of hay. grain, pumpkins, walnuts, and fruit. 



The importance of the agricultural utilization of town sewage on the 

 Posen sewage farm to the drain tile and agricultural machinery industry, 

 A. WuLSCH {GsndJils. Ingen., 31 {1908), No. 35, pp. 549-552, fig. 1). — Data re- 

 garding the cost of installation of the drainage system and of the machinery 

 required on the sewage farm are given. 



SOILS— FERTILIZERS. 



Soils: Their nature and management, P. McConnelt. (London. 1908, pp. 

 XII-\-104, pi. 1, figs. 10; rev. in Nature [London], 18 {1908), No. 2016, p. 

 150). — This is a short practical treatise for the use of the British farmer and 

 gardener. It discusses from the practical man's standpoint the origin, compo- 

 sition, classification, distribution, physical properties, improvement, tillage, and 

 management of the soils of Great Britain. The book also discusses the physical 

 geography of the farm and gives suggestions regarding the selection of farms. 



On transported soils with especial reference to the Roman Campagna, 

 G. DE Angelis d'Ossat {Atti R. Accad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Sci. Fis., Mat. e Nat., 

 5. ser., 11 (1908); I, No. 1, pp. 439--'i-'i8, figs. 5). — The author shows by means of 

 diagrams how transported soils increase in complexity from the head of a 

 valley downward according to the various strata cut through and formulates 

 the following law : The agricultural value of a transported soil is equal to the 

 algebraic sum of the elements of each generating rock, taking account, however, 

 of the transformations undergone. 



Results of tests of soil samples taken in the valley of the Teverone River 

 are given which show a high percentage of carbonate of lime. This accounts in 

 part for the fact that the chief characteristic of the transported soil of the 

 Tiber Valley is carbonate of lime. 



Study of Belgian soils {Bul. Mens. Off. Renseig. Agr. [Paris], 1 {1908), 

 No. 5, pp. 543, S.'i'i ) . — The results of analyses of 47 typical soils and subsoils of 

 Belgium are briefly discussed in this article, attention being called especially to 

 the deficiencies and fertilizer requirements of the different soils. 



