440 SNOWSTORMS IX THE TRAXSVAAL. 



On the 2nd May. 1903, and again about the beginning of 

 September, snow feh on a few farms in the district. 



Mr. Neethhng also corroborates the accounts of the ex- 

 ceptionally severe storms of 1853 and 1S81. 



* -X- * * -x- * 



On the night of September 2nd, 1909, snow fell over parts 

 of the districts Volksrust, Wakkerstroom, and Standerton, in 

 the Transvaal, and in the north-east of the Orange River 

 Colony. 



Thus, as far as can be ascertained, during the last 57 years, 

 1853- 1 909, there have been eleven years in which snow has fallen 

 at some time over tlie Transvaal. 



THE STUDY OF THE SOIL.— What may be called the 

 World's first International Soil Congress met in Budapest, at 

 the invitation of the Royal Hungarian Geological Institute, 

 early in 1909. The Report of the Congress — a volume of 334 

 pages, printed for the most part in German — has now been 

 issued under the title Comptes Rendiis de la premiere Confer- 

 ence Internationale Agrogeologiquc. In addition to a report 

 of the proceedings of the Congress, and accounts of excur- 

 sions, it contains the following papers which vv^ere read and 

 discussed : Prof. K. Glinka, Soils of European and Asiatic 

 Russia; Prof. K. O. Bjorlykke, Soil classification in Norway; 

 Dr. F. Cornu, Current views on weathering in the light of 

 Colloidal Chemistry; P. Treitz, What is Weathering?; Prof. 

 E. von Cholnoky , Climatic zones of soils; Prof. E. 

 Leplae, The special exigencies of intensive agriculture in re- 

 gard to the analysis of soils; Dr. F. Schucht, Methods of soil 

 analysis in the Prussian Geological Survey; H. Horusitzky, 

 Agrogeological work in the field; E. Timko, What entries are 

 to be made on agrogeological survey and special maps ? : 

 W. Giill, On the methods of making entries in agrogeological 

 survey and special maps; J. Kopecky, Soil mapping work in 

 Bohemia; Dr. K. Emszt, Methods of chemical analysis of 

 soils; Prof. A. von Sigmond, The interpretation of the chemical 

 investigation of soils in relation to agrogeological studies and 

 soil mapping; H. Ujj, The soil adaptability of the Koros flood 

 area; Prof. A. von vSigmond, Field methods of analvsis 

 of soda-containing soils; D. von Dicenty, Ampelogeological 

 maps; P. Treitz, The determination of the physiologicallv- 

 effective lime content of vine soils; Prof. A. Atterberg, The 

 mineral constituents of the soil, and the analysis, classification, 

 and chief properties of clay soils; Prof. E. W. Hilgard, The 

 unification of chemical soil analysis: Dr. G. Munteaunu-Mur- 

 U-oci. The soil belts of Roumania. 



