418 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The glass support of a Gooch crucible serves ver}- well for the funnel 

 holding- the soil. The solution from the soil is run directly into dilute 

 sulphuric acid, the bottle containing the same being sealed with a U- tube 

 containing sulphuric acid. Gentle suction can be applied to this appa- 

 ratus, which greatly hastens the process without the least danger of 

 losing ammonia." For the second and third difficulties no remedy is 

 offered. 



The relation of chemistry to the progress of agriculture, II. AV. Wiley ( U. 

 S. Dept. A(jr. Yearbook 1899, pp. 201-258, pis. 2). This is a review of agricultural 

 chemistry during the nineteenth century, treating especially of the progress made in 

 the United States. The subject is divided for the purpose of discussion as follows: 



" ( 1 ) The relation of chemistry to agriculture at the beginning of the century. 



" (2) The impetus given to scientific agriculture in its relation to chemistry by the 

 discoveries of Liebig, Gilbert, Boussingault, and other workers, which began to 

 produce effects about the middle of the century. 



" (3) A resume of the relations of chemistry to agriculture up to and at the present 

 time, with a brief reference to the principal methods whereby chemical research has 

 been made useful to jiraetical agriculture." 



On a ne\7 method of determining' aluminum, A. Stock {Compt. Rend. Acad. 

 Sci. Paris, 130 {1900), No. 4, PP- 175-178). — A method based on the separation of 

 iodin and the precipitation of aluminum hydrate when a solution of an aluminum 

 salt is treated with a mixture of potassium iodid and iodate is described. 



A process for the determination of carbon dioxid in carbonates, R. E. 

 Devine {Jour.Amer. Chem.Soc, 22 {1900), No. 8, pp. 473-476, fig. 1) .—A description 

 is given of a method based on the principle of Pettenkofer's process, "namely, 

 absorption of the carbon dioxid by a measured amount of standard baryta water 

 (solution of barium hydroxid), and titration of an excess of the latter with a 

 standard acid." The apparatus used by the author in carrying out this method 

 is also descril)ed. 



Note on the peculiar difficulties which beset the application of the ammo- 

 nia method to the analysis of sewage and sewage effluents, J. A. Wanklyn 

 ( Chi'tn. News, 81 {1900), No. 2115, pp. 268, 269) .—The results of analyses of a number 

 of samples of sewage effluents are reported which go to show ' ' that no return of the 

 albuminoid ammonia in sewage or sewage effluent is trustworthy unless adequate 

 precautions have been taken to avoid mistaking urea for the complex nitrogenous 

 organic substances which yield albuminoid ammonia." 



Apparatus for the determination of ammonia in water by the Wanklyn 

 method and total nitrogen by the Kjeldahl method, R. S. Weston {Jour. Amer. 

 Chem. Soc, 22 {WOO) , No. 8, pp. 468-473, figs. 2). — The apparatus described is a mod- 

 ification of the Johnson apparatus, improved by Hazen, Clark, and others, adapted 

 to water analysis. The apparatus is so arranged that both the distilling flasks and 

 the receivers are brought to the front and are thus readily accessiljle to the operator. 



A new simple method for the quantitative determination of nitric acid in 

 water, N. N. Kostjamin {Vrach {St. Petersburg'], 21 {1900), p. 728; Pharm. Ztg., 4^5 

 {1900), p. 646; abs. in Chem. Ztg., 24 {1900), No. 62, Repert.,p. 218; and Chem.Centbl, 

 1900, II, No. 16, p. ^5).— The method is as follows: Put 5 cc. of the water in a por- 

 celain dish, add slowly (about 2 cc. per minute) and with constant stirring brucin- 

 sulphuric acid (1 part of brucin to 3,000 parts pure sulphuric acid) until the solution 

 shows a uniform clear rose color. The sulphuric acid sets the nitric acid free and 

 this forms, with the brucin, methyl nitrite (CH3NO.J, kakotelin (C2H3.(NO.J.Na05 

 -f H2O) , and oxalic acid. A table is given from which can be found the N2O5 corre- 

 sponding to the amounts of reagent used. 



