10G2 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



"Tlu'fieneralplan of the work hashct'ii (li'termino<l liy the exi)t'rience of tlie authors 

 as in.structors. Little emphasis is laid on the commonly recognized subdivisions of 

 the science, such as dynamic geolofry, stratigraphitr <:eolo<;y, physiofiraj)hic geology, 

 etc. The treatment ])roceeds rather from the point of view that the science is a unit, 

 that its one theme is the hLstory of the earth, and that the discussions of dynamic 

 geology, jihysiographic geology, etc., apart from their historic-al bearing, lose niucli 

 of their significance and interest. The effort has, therefore, been to emphasize the 

 historical element, even in the discussion of special themes, such as the work of riv- 

 ers, the work of snow and ice, an<l the origin and desient of rocks. This does not 

 mean that phases of geology other than historical have been neglected, but it means 

 that an effort has been made to give a historical cast to all phages of the subject, so 

 far as the topics jiermit." 



After a preliminary outline dealing with astronomic geology and geognosy, the 

 topics treated in separate chapters of this first volume are the atmosjjhere as a geolog- 

 ical agent, the work of running water, the work of ground (underground) water, 

 the work of snow and ice, the work of the ocean, the origin and descent of rocks, 

 structural (geotectonic) geology, the movements and deformations of the earth's 

 body (diastrophism), the extrusive processes, and the geologic functions of life. 



FERTILIZERS. 



Essentials of plant life, T. Jamieson {Agr. Research Assoc. [Scotland'] Rpt. 1903, 

 pp. 22-21). — The results of experiments during IS years on the fertilizer require- 

 ments of the leading botanical families of plants are briefly summarized. The results 

 tend to confirm the generally accepted opinion that nitrogen, phosphorus, and 

 potassium are essential to plant growth. They also indicate that sulphur is not 

 essential, and ' ' that the influence of calcium and magnesium on the actual growth 

 of the plant is so sliglit, if any, that it may be disregarded in practice, especially as 

 both soil aijd the ordinary manures always contain a certain proportion of these 

 elements." 



Effect of manure on exhausted soil, T. Jamieson {Agr. Research Assoc. [Scot- 

 laml] Rpt. 1903, 2)p- 13-21, figs. 4)- — In experiments with turnips grown on small 

 plats higher yiel<ls were obtained with manure than witli any of the mixtures of 

 artificial fertilizers used. The use of heavy applications of artificial fertilizers appar- 

 ently hastened maturity and reduced the final yield. 



Gypsum as a means of preventing- loss of ammonia in the decomposition 

 of manure, S. A. Severin {Centhl. Bait. u. Par., 2. Alt., 11 {1904), Nos. 12-13, pp. 

 389-396; 14-15, pp. 442-451; ahs. in Chern. Ztg., 28 {1904), No. 17, Repert. No. 4, p. 

 56). — In experiments in which the manure was first sterilized and then inoculated 

 with pure cultures of manure bacteria it was observed that gypsum combined with 

 the ammonia produced and reduced the loss of nitrogen one-half, at the same time 

 promoting slightly the oxidation of the organic matter. 



The agricultural value of city sewage in India, J. W. Leather and J. Mol- 

 LisoN {Agr. Ledger, 1903, No. 2 {Agr. Ser., No. 36), pp. 37-54). — Modern methods of 

 sewage purification are briefly described and experiments begun at Poonah and 

 Manjri in 1898 to test methods of purification and to determine the value of sewage 

 and sewage effluent as a fertilizer are reported. These experiments show in general 

 that purified sewage has a considerable fertilizing value for sugar cane and other 

 crops. 



On the influence of different ratios of lime to magnesia on the growth of 

 rice, K. Aso {Bid. Col. Agr., Tohjo Imp. Univ., 6 {1904), No. 2, pp. 97-102, pi. 1).— 

 The results of a series of pot experiments are reported which show that "(1) the 

 lime factor for rice agrees nearly with that of other Gramineae which is between 1 



