RELATION OF FERTILISERS TO SOIL FERTILITY. 21 



Influence of Iron on combustibility of tobsicco. G. AMPOLA and S. Joviwo. 

 (Gazzetta, 1002, 32, 307-380.) The Authors give analyses of different kinds 

 of tobacco, and their combustibilities. The factors influencing the combus- 

 tibility of tobacco are its state of division, and the amount of metals, 

 especially Iron, contained in it. 



Stimulants of plant growth, &c. OSCAR LOEW. (Landw. Jahresb, 1903, 32, 

 437.) .... (See Mn.) FeSO 4 had a slight effect on oats. 



Assimilation of Fe by spinach. O. VON CZADECK. (Zeit. Landw. Versuch. 

 Oesterr, 7, 65-67.) By manuring the soil with 0-5 to 2 per cent, of Fe 2 O 3 , 

 the percentage of Iron in spinach in pots was increased from 0-03 to 0-18, up 

 to 0-23 per cent, on the dry matter. No effect on growth was observed at 

 first, but later the plants appeared somewhat retarded. 



Quantity of Fe contained in spinach. H. SEKGEE. (Chein. Centr., 1906, 1, 

 1668; from Pharm. Zeit., 51, 372.) Four samples of spinach contained 

 86-70 to 89-50 of H,O, and 9-58 to 13-30 of combustible substance. They 

 yielded 1-907 to 3-108 of ash. 100 grams of dry substance contained, on the 

 average, 0-104 grams of Fe. 



An organic vegetable compound of Iron. P. JOSEPH TABBOUEICH and P. SAGET. 

 (Compt. Rend., 1909, 148, 517-519.) Of all the plants analysed, Rumex 

 obt-usifolhis is richest in Fe; the dried root contains 0-447 per cent. Fe. 

 This Fe is in a state of organic combination with C, H, N, P, &c., and is 

 soluble in alcoholic HC1. 



Aluminium. 



Alumina in plants. M. BEBTHELOT and GUSTAV ANDRE? (Compt. Rend., 1895, 

 120, 288-290.) Roots of lucerne contain 0-45 to 0-5 per cent. ALO 3 , those 

 of convolvulus 0-4, of couch grass 0-12 per cent. 



Presence of aluminium in vascular cryptogams. A. H. CHURCH. (Proc. Roy. 

 Soc., 44, 121-129.) The Author found it in many Lycopodia?, in tree-ferns 



in watermoss. The ash of an unknown fern-tree from New 



Zealand contained 19-65 per cent, of ALO 3 . 



Alumina in plants. L. RICCIARDI. (Gazzetta, 19, 150-1GO.) From 1-140 to 0-042 

 per 100 parts of ash. 



Effect of aluminium salts on growth of plants. Y. YAMANO. (Bull. Coll. Agric. 

 Tokyo, 1905, 6, 420-432.) Pot exper. with barley and flax, in which 

 ammonia alum (02, 1 gram, and 2 grains per kilo of soil) was compared 

 with ainmon. sulphate, showed that moderate amount of alums have a 

 stimulating effect on plant development. In water culture 0-2 per cent, 

 alum acted injuriously after three weeks, and 1 -8 per cent, killed the plant 

 in a few days. 



Alumina in plants. RADKOFER (Ber. Deut. Bot. Gesell, 1904, 22, 216) found 

 in various kinds of Symploccce a colourless substance consisting chiefly of 

 Al salts. These plants were named by Rumphius in 1690 Arbor alumi- 

 nosus. 



Alumina in plants. HENRI PELLET and CH. FRIBOURG. (Ann. China. Anal., 

 1905, 10, 373-376.) The Authors have found ALO 3 present in very minute 

 quantities in the ashes of sugar-cane and beet-roots. 



Influence of aluminium salts on germination. II. MICHAELS and P. DE HEEN. 

 (Bull. Acad. Roy. Beige., 1905, 520-523.) The Authors tested germination 

 of wheat in water. Under these conditions the addition of soluble Al salts 

 is injurious, whereas ALO 3 , or kaolin, is beneficial. 



Aluminium, the chief inorganic element in a protaceous tree, and the occurrence 

 of Al slice-mate in trees of this species. HENRY G. SMITH. (Journ. Roy. 

 Soc. N.S.W., 1904, 37, 108-120.) Four specimens of Oritcs cxcclsa, (silky 

 oak) were found to contain large amounts of Al Samples of wood from 

 four different sources contained 0-039, 0-684, 0-673, 0-706 per cent, of ash, 

 which contained 79-61, 36-04, 43-03, 38-77 of A1 2 O 3 per cent. 



When excessive amounts of Al are taken by the trees, deposits of Al 

 succinate are found. The ash of No. 2 contained traces of Co. and Fe. 

 In five varieties of GreviUece no Al was present. 



