614 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Among the plants not injured were varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, 

 kale, celer}', ferns, palms, loquats, and several species of cactus. 



In general, it is stated that houses of mixed plants should not be 

 fumigated with hydrocyanic-acid gas. A better way would be to pro- 

 vide a small room, conveniently located, to which the plants to be 

 fumigated could be transferred. 



Importance of bacteria to the development of plants, J. Stok- 

 LASA {Bdliia. Ztschr. Zucktrmd., 2If, {1900)^ j^>p. 222-227; ahs. in Jour. 

 Boy. Micros. Soc. [^London\ 1900., No. 4, j9. J^98). — A large number of 

 experiments were conducted by the author with Brassica oleracea 

 grown in vessels containing sterilized loamy sand. In one case the 

 sand remained sterile; in others it was inoculated with mixtures of 

 the following soil bacteria: BaclUm mycoldes., B. fluoi'escens lique- 

 faciens., B. proteus vulgaris, B. suhtilis, B. hutyricus, B. megatherium, 

 B. urem., B. mesentericus vidgatus, and B. coli commAinis. To the 

 inoculated vessels were added 5 gm, of dextrose. In every case 

 the total weight of the dried plant and seed were greater in the 

 inoculated than in the sterile vessels. From this the author concludes 

 that in the absence of micro-organisms 'vegetation is abnormal and 

 that incompletely developed seed is produced. 



Recent investigations on soil inoculation, J. Stoklasa {Deut. 

 Landw. Presse, 27 (1900), No. 7, jjp. S89-S91; ahs. in Ann. Agron.., 

 26 {1900), No. 17, pp. 353-355).— T\\.ii most important point in this 

 report is the isolation by the author of a second germ without which 

 Bacillus megatheriuni is unable to fix atmospheric nitrogen. This 

 new organism was isolated from humus soils, and the author attrib- 

 utes manj'^ of the failures with Alinit to its absence from the soil. 

 The author recommends important changes in the method of applying 

 Alinit. It is advised that 2 gm. of Alinit be mixed with G kg, of 

 molasses and 10 liters of water. With this mixture 100 kg. of soil is 

 moistened, the amount being sufficient for a half acre. This mixture 

 is to be protected from strong light, sown and well harrowed into the 

 soil some little time before seeding. By following the directions out- 

 lined, good results are claimed for Alinit when used with a number of 

 crops. 



In addition to B. megatherium, the ability to aid in the lixation of 

 free nitrogen, as shown in experiments with oats, is said to be pos- 

 sessed by B. jluorescens Uquefaciens, B. proteus vulgaris, B. hutyricus, 

 B.'mycoides, and B. mesentericus vulgatus. 



Plant kingdom, A. Exglek (Dos Pflanzenreich. Leipsic: W. Englcmann, 1900, 

 pp. .fo, figx. 10). — This publication, which is the first of a series to be issued descrip- 

 tive of all the known species of plants, contains descriptions of the genera and species 

 of Musacefe Ijy K. Schumann. It is the plan of the editor to publish as frequently 

 as material is prepared similar conspectuses of the different families of plants. In 

 addition to the systematic description, notes are given on the literature, morphology, 

 and anatomy of the plants, and also their geographic distribution. 



