PERIODICAL LITERATURE 

 BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY 



Light of shorter wave-lengths acts more rap- 

 Action of idly and strongly on protoplasm than does light 



Schumann Rays of longer wave-lengths. The Schumann rays lie 

 on Living in the ultra-violet regions of the spectrum and 



Organisms have wave-lengths of from 2,000 to 1,250 Eng- 



strom units. The light in this region of the spec- 

 trum is much more injurious to protoplasm than is the light of longer 

 wave-lengths, according to Bovie. 



A large part of the article is devoted to history and technique. The 

 action upon various organisms is discussed fully. 



Botanical Gazette, Vol. LXI, No. i, January, 1916, pp. 1-27. 



SOIL, WATER, AND CLIMATE 



Under the drainage law of the State of Wis- 

 Peat consin, Dunnewald has examined an area of 



Soil about 6,600 acres of marshes and swamps to find 



Qualities out whether a favorable or unfavorable condition 



would be found in different areas and whether 

 the vegetation would, as claimed by practical farmers, give an indica- 

 tion of such conditions, such claim declaring black spruce or moss- 

 covered swamps not good for cropping. The author considers his ex- 

 periments to confirm the farmers' statements that trees, such as ash, 

 elm, birch, white pine, show a better quality of peat than that on which 

 grow only black spruce or tamarack, sphagnum moss, blueberries, and 

 Cassandra, and that peat bearing black spruce and tamarack has 20 per 

 cent less mineral matter and a much higher degree of acidity and some- 

 what less nitrogen. 



Vegetation on Swamps and Marshes as an Indicator of the Quality of Peat 

 Soil. Journal of American Society of Agronomy, October, 191 7, pp. 322-324. 



Rigg brings together the theories and findings 

 Bogs of the loading authorities. The following sub- 



jects are discussed : 



1. Xerophily of bog plants. 



2. Why arc plants characteristic of bogs mainly xerophytic? 



