Periodical Literature. 271 



and the different strains vary greatly in virulence. Soil steriliza- 

 tion against Pythium by the use of such chemicals as corrosive 

 sublimate, acids or copper salts, followed by lime, are not effec- 

 tive in the west on account of reinfection of the beds before the 

 seedlings are old enough to resist. Good results were secured by 

 treating the soil before seeding with sulphuric acid and formalin, 

 and on alkaline soils with zinc chloride and copper sulphate. 

 Careful watering, however, is necessary in order to prevent 

 chemical injury to the germinating seed. 



Damping-off of coniferous seedlings. Science. 15 Nov., 1912. Pp. 683- 

 4- 



That even in Prussia fire protection is not 

 Fire perfected, is shown by the government in- 



Protection structions which followed the severe fires of 



in 191 1 (an unusually dry summer). These 



Prussia. fires were often quite large, as witness the 



one of September 3 and 4, 191 1, near 

 Schwerin, northeast of Hamburg, which completely destroyed the 

 forest on 3,774 acres. The instructions include the erection of 

 fire outlook towers equipped with telephone and with a device for 

 locating the fire- Other points are the providing of torches 

 (pieces of "lightwood") at each ranger station for back firing; 

 the equipping of fire fighting crews with tools; and even occa- 

 sional drills of local workmen in methods of fire fighting. 



A. B. R. 



Massnahmen gegen Waldbmnde. Allgemeine Forst- und Jagd Zeitung. 

 January, 1913, P. 34. 



The smoke nuisance is an ever present 



Smoke source of trouble to the Saxon forester on 



Damage. account of the large number of factories. 



Scarcely a revier in the whole state has not 



suffered from sulphuric or nitric acid poisoning. 



Two forms of damage may be distinguished altho the dis- 

 tinction seems somewhat arbitrary and the same tree may have 

 both the acute and chronic form. In the latter the tree does not 

 lose its leaves quickly but there is evidently a derangement of 

 the processes of assimilation. The acute form is characterized 

 by rapid browning of the leaves and consequent defoliation. 

 Spruce, the most abundant species in the forests of Saxony, 



