Periodical Literature -409 



in a good technical administration by paying part of the salaries 

 of foresters of the cantons, communes and corporations, and 

 giving money aid for protection works, reforestation, roads, etc. 



A forest experiment station was organized by the federal gov- 

 ernment in 1885. 



In 1912, a last step forward was made when the revised civil 

 law paid special attention to forest property, giving the right to 

 cantons and municipalities to subject forest use to limitations, to 

 prevent dismemberment of properties, to enforce cooperative re- 

 forestation, and of combining small parcels into manageable units, 

 and other matters. 



Riickblick auf die Ent-wicklung des schzueizerischen Forstvjesens. Schweize- 

 rische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen, March to April, 1915, pp. 50-53. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



Esslinger discusses the condition in whicl 



Fertiliser Germany finds itself with reference to arti- 



Conditions ficial fertilizers during the war. There is 



in a surplus of potash salts, especially Kainit, 



Germany due to the stoppage of export, the annual 



production being about three times the 



..sual home consumption. 



The conditions are less favorable for the supply of phosphoric 

 acid in the shape of bone meal, superphosphates and Thomas 

 slag. There had been a considerable export of the latter, which 

 has stopped, and as long as the steel works remain in operation 

 there is no fear of scarcity. An increase in price of 14 per cent 

 is due to scarcity of jute bags which used to come from England. 

 Other phosphates are also still sufficient in sight. Nitrogen sup- 

 plies are, however, a more complicated problem, since the im- 

 port of Chili saltpetre is stopped and military requirements are 

 said to have drawn stock on hand from the market. Ammonium 

 sulphate, a by-product of gas and coke manufacture, used to be 

 exported, especially to Belgium, and will therefore be sufficient. 

 The question of securing nitrogen from the air occupies the 

 chemists more strenuously, to make up the anticipated deficiency 

 of about 200,000 tons. A special new factory has been established 

 for this purpose near Ludwigshafen, and at the same time the 



