AIR WATEE— SOILS. 425 



in meteorology, means of instruction and information for the public, contril)uti()ns of 

 the Weather Bureau to nieteorologj', and latest •\'^ews on the theories of the origin of 

 storms. 



Recent progress in ■weather forecasting, P. Holdefleiss {Filliling's Landw. 

 Zt<i.,49 {1900), Xu. 7, j)p.^0-ii73). — This is a brief review of a paper by W. J. van 

 Beljber on The scientific basis for forecasting the weather several days in advance, 

 published at Hamburg in 1899. 



Anemometer tests, C. F. Marvin {U. S. Dept. Agr., Weather Bur-eau Doc. 2^3, pp. 

 18,ph<.^,fi(js.o). — This paper, which is reprinted from the Morithly Weather Review, 

 28 {1900), No. -? (E. S. R, 12, p. 119), "aims to give briefly the results of a Hmited 

 series of experiments recently conducted by the writer to determine the law of action 

 of a small anemometer employed on kites to record the motion of the wind in the 

 free air. . . . The general question ( )f anemometer testing is also very briefly dis- 

 cussed." 



Meteorological tables, T. S. Outraji {Minnesota Sta. Rpt. 1899, pp. 575-587). — 

 These tables give the monthly and annual mean temperature and precipitation for 

 the year 1898 and 6 months of 1899, with departures from the normal for 62 stations 

 in the State. 



Meteorological observations, C. W. Peterson {RjA. Dept. Agr. Northivest Ter- 

 ritories, 1899, pp. 5-14). — Tabular statements are given of (1) the total annual pre- 

 cipitation from 1883 to 1899, inclusive, at 8 stations; (2) total monthly precipitation 

 during 1899 at 39 stations; and (3) the maximima, minimum, and mean temperature 

 during each month of 1899 at 34 stations. ' * A brief summary of the records of the 

 Dominion meteorological service of the temperature and precipitation conditions 

 prevailing throughout the Northwest Territories during each month of the year" is 

 also given. The meteorological stations (with voluntary observers) in the Territories 

 now number 44. 



General summary of meteorological observations in Mexico during 1899, 

 E. E. ScHULZ {Rer. Vient. Bol. Met., 3 {1900), No. 1-2, pp. 145-158). 



Contribution to the study of the climatology of the Valley of Mexico, 

 M. Moreno y Anda {Mem. i/ Rer. Soc. Cienf. "Antonio Alzate," U {1899-1900), No. 

 9-10, pp. 353-360). — This is a summary of observations on barometric pressure during 

 15 years (1884-1898) at the Tacubaya Observatory. 



AIR— WATER— SOILS. 



A study of soil moisture, C. A. Keffer and J. D. Tinsley {Neio 

 Mexico Sta. Bui. 31, 2U^- l^^fiKl- ^)- — Incomplete records of moisture 

 at depths of 6 to 9 in. and 21 to 2-1: in. in the soil of plats planted to 

 corn and cultivated in different ways during the season beginning- 

 April 17 and ending October 5, 1899, are reported and discussed. 

 The moisture determinations were made hj the gravimetric method 

 and by means of the electrical apparatus devised by the Division of 

 Soils of this Department. Practically all types of soil texture, from 

 adobe to pure sand, were represented in the plats used in this experi- 

 ment. Consequently a great variation in the moisture content and 

 requirements of the soils was observed. While the results are incom- 

 plete and not conclusive they indicate "the great variabilit}" in the 

 character and moisture content of the alluvial soils of the Rio Grande 

 valley." 



