August 24, 191 1] 



NATURE 



259 



interesting theory, at least in its entirety " (p. 44). 

 Nothing like a proved alternative is offered, nor is it shown 

 that the data supplied require any alternatives. Such a 

 happy observation as that cromlechs generally are oriented 

 so as to command the most extensive view obtainable is 

 not universally true to the facts, and could not have been 

 always " a primary consideration with the cromlech- 

 builders " (p. 20). The exceptions prove what the primary 

 consideration was, as at St. Lythans' fine cromlech, which 

 is definitely oriented to the equinox in the opposite direc- 

 tion to the extensive view. John Griffith. 



RECENT ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL 

 PUBLICATIONS. 1 



CCIENTIFIC work in agriculture in this country is pub- 



"^ lished exclusively in the Journal of Agricultural 

 Science, but there are certain papers published in the 

 technical journals which possess considerable scientific in- 

 terest. These alone will be dealt with in the present article. 



The Board of Agriculture publishes each month the 

 Journal of the Board of Agriculture, which can only be 

 described as an unqualified success. There are usually three 

 or four signed articles, primarily of technical importance, 

 but often of scientific value as well, followed by a number 

 of short articles or notes summarising work done on a 

 particular subject, or directing attention to important work 

 being done elsewhere. 



The progress of the sugar beet industry in Norfolk is 

 described by Mr. W. E. Sawyer. Last year's trials showed 

 beyond doubt that sugar beet could be produced in sufficient 

 quantity, and of the necessary good quality, for the purposes 

 of a factory. This year it is sought to ascertain whether 

 the crop will pay as well as other crops, and in organising 

 the work advantage is being taken of last year's experi- 

 ence. Generally speaking, it has been demonstrated that 

 sugar beet can be produced in most parts of England, but 

 we now require experiments on the large commercial scale 

 to ascertain whether or not the industry will be profitable. 



Dr. Goodwin writes on molasses and sugar foods for live 

 stock. Molasses, whether from beet or from cane sugar 

 factories, contains about 30 to 35 per cent, of sucrose and 

 25 to 30 per cent, of dextrose and other sugars. There are 

 also present some nitrogenous compounds, betaine, amino- 

 acids, &c, and also some ash constituents, but the great 

 value of molasses as a food consists in its sugars. Unfor- 

 tunately there are certain drawbacks to its use : it is very 

 sticky and difficult to handle, and is said to be liable to 

 theft. To overcome these difficulties the practice has arisen 

 of adding some absorbent material to the molasses and 

 making a mixture that could be dried, powdered, and 

 handled easily. The absorbents are of the most varied 

 kinds ; cocoanut meal, hay, spent hops, bran, sugar-cane 

 pith, and peat have all been used, and not a few extrava- 

 gant claims have been put forward by the patentees about 

 the beneficial effects of the absorbent. Dr. Goodwin ex- 

 amines certain of these claims, and shows by actual digesti- 

 bility trials with sheep that only a small proportion of the 

 added cellulose is digested in some cases. 



The relation of weeds to crops is discussed by Miss 

 Brenchley. Over a limited area, where the climatic condi- 

 tions showed no great variation, i.e., between Harpenden 

 and Bedford, there was a clear connection traceable be- 

 tween the weeds and the nature of the soil, but none 

 between the weeds and crop, with a few readily explained 

 exceptions. The so-called " seeds " crops, clover, and rye 

 grass, &c, effectually keep down certain weeds, no doubt 

 because they so densely cover the ground ; other weeds will 

 only grow in the thin patches of cereal crops, and in other 

 open situations. 



It has long been an agricultural practice to grow certain 

 crops simply with the intention of ploughing them into the 

 ground, and thus adding organic matter to the soil to be 

 converted into humus. Mr. Hall describes experiments 

 made at Rothamsted on the relative effects of mustard, 

 rape, crimson clover, and vetches : as was expected, the 

 leguminosae gave the largest increase in subsequent crops. 

 At Woburn a different result was obtained, it being found 

 that mustard gave better results than the leguminous tares. 



1 The Journal of the Board of Agricult ire ; The Journal of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society. 



NO. 2l82, VOL. 8/] 



Dr. Lander, in an interesting note, shows that small 

 amounts of prussic acid, such as might be generated from 

 a linseed cake in which the glucoside-splitting enzyme had 

 not been destroyed, are not necessarily harmful to stock. 

 In view of the widespread occurrence of cyanogenetic 

 enzymes, it is highly desirable that authoritative informa- 

 tion should be at hand as to the effect of continuous small 

 doses of hydrocyanic acid on animals. 



The Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society is pub- 

 lished once a year only, and its appearance is always an 

 event in the agricultural world. In the current number 

 there is a paper by Dr. Russell, giving a connected account 

 of the work he and his colleagues have been doing on the 

 production of plant food in the soil, and bringing together 

 a number of agricultural practices, previously unexplained, 

 that fall into line with the recent work with which he is 

 associated. 



Mr. W. W. Skeat contributes an interesting account of 

 the origin of some old agricultural words, directing special 

 attention to the " Dictionary of English Plant-names," by 

 Britten and Holland, and the " English Dialect Dic- 

 tionary." Sir John McFadyean deals with the very im- 

 portant question of tuberculosis in cattle. The idea still 

 finds credence that the offspring of tuberculous cattle will 

 necessarily develop tuberculosis : experiments, on the other 

 hand, have shown that if the calves are at once removed 

 from their dams and kept free from infection they do not 

 become tuberculous. Nor does Sir John admit that they 

 show any special tendency to tuberculosis. All breeds of 

 cattle are liable to tuberculosis, but no families exhibit 

 any special liability not shown generally by their particular 

 breed. 



State aid to agriculture in Canada is authoritatively de- 

 scribed by Mr. E. H. Godfrey, of the Canadian Agricul- 

 tural Department. Mr. Godfrey has the enormous advan- 

 tage of knowing English institutions, and his article will, 

 therefore, be found of great interest to all engaged in 

 agricultural administrative work in this country. In addi- 

 tion, there are the usual reports from the consulting 

 botanist, chemist, and zoologist ; Prof. Biffen reports a case 

 where the somewhat rare hoary cress (Lepidium draba) 

 obtained a footing on arable land, and spread to such an 

 extent as to become a nuisance ; while Dr. Voelcker reports 

 the effect of zinc and other salts on crop growth in pots. 



MEDICAL RESEARCH IN INDIA. 



THE scientific memoirs by officers of the Medical and 

 Sanitary Departments of the Government of India, 1 

 issued from time to time, contain matter and researches 

 of the utmost importance and value. 



Memoir 43 deals with the relation of tetanus to the 

 hypodermic or intramuscular injection of quinine. For 

 some forms of malaria injection of quinine is by far the 

 most efficient treatment, but every now and then is 

 followed by the dreaded tetanus or lockjaw, even when 

 every possible care has been taken to ensure the sterility 

 of the fluid and of the syringe used to inject it. 



Tetanus is caused by a bacillus which occasionally is 

 present in dust and earth, and may be introduced into a 

 wound, and so give rise to "traumatic tetanus." It is a 

 curious fact that tetanus spores free from other organisms 

 and free from any adherent toxin may be injected into an 

 animal without harm, and may remain latent at the site 

 of inoculation for months. If. however, the spores have 

 adherent toxin upon them, or if at the same time a little 

 weak lactic acid is injected, the organism grows and 

 multiplies and sets up tetanus. Apparently some agent 

 must be present which weakens the resistance of the tissues 

 before the tetanus bacillus can develop. Sir D. Semple, 

 the author of this memoir, finds that quinine injected into 

 the tissues produces necrosis or death of the tissue at the 

 site of injection, and that pure washed tetanus spores 



1 No. 43 : " The Relation of Tetanus to the Hypodermic or Intramuscular 

 Injection of Quinine." By Lieut-Col. Sir D. Semple, Kt. Pp. v+6i. 



No. 44: "The Preparation of a Safe and Efficient Antirabic Vaccine." 

 By Lieut. -Col. Sir D. Semple, Kt. Pp. v+32. Price gd. 



No. 45 : " Epidemic Dropsy in Calcutta." Being the First Report of an 

 Inquiry carried out by Major G. D. W. Greie. Pp. ii+47+map+vi charts. 

 Price 2j. (Calcutta : Government Printing Office, 191 1.) 



