WATEE SOILb. 



657 



"Crops in an arid district require a greater nninl)er of pounds of water for 1 D). 

 of dry matter than in Inimid climates. 



" Water has a varying vahie. The first few int'hes possess a much liigher value 

 than the later ones; and the value continues to decrease as the amount of water 

 increases. By following the indications of the varying value of water it is possible 

 that the irrigated area may be increased one-third or more with the amount of water 

 now used." 



The influence of soil moisture upon the chemical composition of certain 

 plant parts, J. A. Wiutsoe {Jour. Amer. Cliem. Sac, 25 {190S), Xo. 12, pp. 1234- 

 124s). — This is a brief discussion based on data reported in a recent bulletin of the 

 ITtah Station (see above) of results of a series of experiments with amounts of water 

 varying from 5 to -40 in., applied to corn, oats, wheat, potatoes, and sugar beets on a 

 sliallow bench soil underlaid with coarse gravel. Chemical and physical analyses of 

 the soil and analyses of the grains and tubers produced are reported, and the relation 

 of the composition of the latter to the amounts of water used in irrigating the crops 

 is discussed. 



It is shown that the chemical composition of plants and plant parts is strongly influ- 

 enced by the amount of soil moisture, the protein and nitrogen-free extract being 

 affected to a greater extent than the other constituents. Withholding water from the 

 plant increased the percentage of protein and diminished the percentages of nitrogen- 

 free extract and fat, and vice versa. The variations in composition of crop brought 

 about by varying amounts of water applied is shown in the following table: 



Difference between highest and lowest percentages due to varying soil moisture. 



Irrigation waters and their effects, W. P. Headden ( Colorado Sta. Bid. 83, pp. 

 16). — A brief popular bulletin presenting some of the conclusions drawn from inves- 

 tigations reported in detail in a previous bulletin of the station (E. S. R., 15, p. 454). 



Water used for drinking and similar purposes {Zlschr. Untersuch. Xahr. u. 

 Genu.^f.vntl., 6 ( 1903) , No. 22, pp. 1040-10.59) . — This is a series of brief abstracts of and 

 references to 60 recent articles relating to this subject. 



The judging of drinking water from the standpoint of the physiology and 

 hygiene of domestic animals, T. Kasparek {Zlschr. Landw. Versuchsw. Oesterr., 6 

 {1903), No. 11, pp. 753-764). — A general discussion of this subject is given, with some 

 observations on the behavior of various pathogenic germs under different culture 

 conditions. 



The present status of soil investigation, C. G. Hopkins {Illinois Sta. Circ. 72, 

 pj). 21, figs. 6). — This is the address of the chairman of the section on agriculture 

 and chemistry of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment 

 Stations, at Washington, D. C, November 17, 1903 (E. S. R., 15, p. 329), with an intro- 

 ductory statement by E. Davenport and an added note by the author on methods. 

 The paper calls attention to the discrepancies in the conclusions drawn by prom- 

 inent investigators from studies in soil fertility, dealing more particularly with the 

 methods and conclusions presented in Bulletin 22 of the Bureau of Soils of this 

 Department. Basing his statements mainly upon his own work on soil fertility, 

 the author dissents from many of the conclusions stated in this bulletin. 



