ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY —ENTOMOLOGY. 1087 



The physiological effect of fungicides on the plants themselves, particularly with 

 reference to fruit maturing, lias also been determined. The investigations showed 

 that treating vines with copper solutions resulted in a stimulation of growth, through 

 the absorption of minute traces of copper, and the ripening period <>i' the grapes was 

 also accelerated. 



To determine the penetration of copper into planl tissues an experiment was 

 inaugurated in the spring of 1903 in which different lots of grape cuttings were 

 potted in a peaty leaf moid and the different pots given varying amounts of copper, 

 iron, magnesium, and cadmium salts in solution, the concentrations varying from 

 O.ool to 1 percent. In lo days the lots receiving the weaker solutions of copper 

 began to force their buds. Eleven days later those which bad received magnesium 

 sulphate had l leaves, and the buds on the cuttings receiving 0.01 and 0.001 per cenl 



copper sulphate weir bursting. All others showed no growth. 



At the end <>t* :\:\ days all buds had burst except those receiving iron sulphate, and 

 these were more than 2 months iii developing. In the autumn it was observed that 



the leaves remained on the treated vines long alter the check lots had lost their 



leaves, and the cuttings treated with magnesium sulphate and iron sulphate lost 



their leaves before those which received the copper sulphate solution. These 

 retained their foliage late into the fall, ultimately losing them in direct proportion t" 

 the strength of solution with which they had been treated. 



The quantity of copper in the different lots was determined late in the autumn, 

 and it ranged from 0.0133 gram of copper per 100 gm. of dry weight for the lot 

 receiving a 1 per cent solution to a trace in the l"t receiving 0.01 per cut, and not 

 even a trace where the more dilute solutions were used. 



Recognizing the corrosive action of copper sulphate on the delicate roots formed 

 from cuttings, this feature was investigated, and it was found that the tiumus in the 

 pots had acted on the copper, causing it to lose its toxic effect upon the root tissues. 



The adulteration of copper sulphate (Jour. Bd. Agr. \_Londmi\, J.' ( 1905), No. 

 !', pp. 542, 54S). — On account of the extensive use of copper sulphate as a fungicide 

 and the corrosive effect of some impurities, the writer suggests that in purchasing 

 this material demand should be made for a product of OS per cent purity. This is 

 practically a pure copper sulphate and is without the corrosive effect that is observed 

 in some of the adulterated specimens. 



The results of the analysis of an adulterated* sample show that it contained 17.6 pet- 

 cent crystallized copper sulphate and 82.4 per cent crystallized iron sulphate. A- an 

 easy test for the presence of iron in copper sulphate the writer suggests dissolving a 

 little in water and adding ammonia with constant Btirring until a liquid of a deep 

 blue color is formed. If iron is present in any quantity it will he shown by the 

 occurrence of brown flocculent masses floating in the blue liquid. 



ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY 



Agricultural zoology, G. Gu£naux [Zoologie Agricole. Paris: J. />'. BaiUQre & 

 So. , 1905, pp. XII 568, figs. 168). The present volume includes a general discus- 

 sion of the importance fr an agricultural standpoint and the use of farm animals, 



together with an account of the babits and economic relations of birds, reptiles, 

 amphibians, and small mammals. Particular attention is given to the feeding 



habits of the various species discussed. 



Protection of birds which are beneficial to agriculture (Jour. Agr. PraL, n. 

 ser.j 10 (u>0.~>), No. 52, />/-. 816-818).- An international convention was held in Paris 

 on December o, loo:>. at which time various European countries were represented, 

 including France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Sweden, 



Switzerland, etc. The purpose of this convention was to adopt a uniform method 

 6f procedure regarding the protection ol beneficial birds. 



