SCBTBOEOLOGY- WATKK. I l.'i 



[1905), Vb. 1867, pp. 848, ./;; i. A. discussion of the importance and value of L 

 yer's suggestion regarding this Bubject I E. 8. IJ., 17, p. 161 < a- applied t<> the m< 

 ology of Western Australia. 



Water and agriculture, L. Thirt Re\ Gen. Agron., 14 I 

 /';;.• •'./'/'■ fSS ?06'; 6, pp. 958 965; ; 8, pp. 296-801 i. This i- a general article treat- 

 ing "t' the role played by water in the life of plants and means of preventing injuries 

 by drought, concluding with the statement thai the future of Belgian agriculture 

 depends in large pari on the judicious use of water in irrigation. 



Natural vegetation and the purity of waters, L. \ Fabki ((fomjrt. Rend, 

 [cad. Sci. | Paris], lji I 1905), No. 18, pp. 581 589; alts, in Rei Sci. [Pari 

 1(1905), No. 15, p. $66). It is stated that the purification of natural water app 

 to be essentially a biological process. 



The oxygen of the air is slowly carried down into the Boil with the [percolating 

 waters and destroys by eremacausis the organic matter of the soil, at the same time 

 increasing the vitality and multiplication of the aerobic organisms, which incr< 

 the fertility <>!' the soil. The opposite effect, however, is produced on the patho 

 genie anaerobes. The latter, which are useless to plants, are eliminated "i ti 

 formed after having losl their virulence into auxiliaries of the aerobes. Certain 

 pathogenic races of organisms show a tendency to ret inn to saprophytic types, which 

 appear to be the original form of all micro-organisms in uncultivated soils. 



Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Mm 

 New Mexico, C. R. Keyes ( U. S. Geol. Survey, Water-Supply and Trrig. Paper Vo. 

 /.'.;,/>/>. ;.', pis. 9,figs. 11). This bulletin deals with the general character of the 

 New Mexican plateau region, and surface relief, formations, structure, and under- 

 ground waters of the Jornada del Muerto. "It presents new and valuable informa- 

 tion regarding the geologic structure of this large deserl area, ami shows that the 

 conditions are favorable for the extensive occurrence of underground waters which, 

 to some extent, are available for irrigation and domestic supplies. The region is one 

 of fine climate and fertile soil, ami the development of its underground waters will 

 afford the means for sustaining settlers at a number of localities." 



Water for domestic purposes in North Dakota, E. F. Ladd I North Dakota Sta. 

 Bui. 66, pp.559 571). — This bulletin discusses the standard of purity for potable 

 waters, explains the significance of the results of analysis, ami reports quantitative 

 determinations of total, volatile, ami nonvolatile solids, ami chlorids, and qualita- 

 tive tests for carbonates, sulphates, lime, magnesia, and soda in 160 samples of water 

 from different parts of North Dakota. Few of the waters from deep artesian wells 

 contained as little as 500 parts per million of solids, which has been recommended 

 as i he maximum limit for waters suitable for drinking purposes. 



The city of Paris and the water question, L. Gkandeai 1/'/'. Sci. Agro 

 Mr., in i 1905), /, No. •»'. pp. 842 f01,figs. 9). -This article first appeared as a - 

 of letters to the Temps, of Paris, December, L904, to May, 1905. It discusses mainly 

 three conditions affecting the health of Paris as dependent upon the water supply, 

 i I i the sewage contamination of the Seine, (2) the unsanitary condition of the sewer 

 beds and farms due to their inability to properly dispose of the sewage brought to 



l hem. and (3) the lack of means of purifying the water BUpply derived from hr »>k~ 



and streams. 



Sewage disposal by spreading it on the land, including sewage irrigation, is con- 

 sidered inadequate and unsatisfactory, ami various other methods of disposal the 

 bacteriological process (using septic tanks and contact beds) and the Candj pro 

 (using sprinklers and " carboferrite " filters) are discussed as possible substitutes or 

 supplements. Accounts are also given of Btudies by Calmette on the biological puri- 

 fication of sewage. The causes and prevention of the contamination of the Seine are 

 considered. 



