July 21, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



77 



experiments, dissolves most of the sub- 

 stances studied except starch and some of 

 the dextrins. Its effect upon their specific 

 rotatory power is marked, decreasing it in 

 some cases and increasing it in others. 

 Rock candy in particles of various assorted 

 sizes gave, with pyridine, solutions of the 

 same concentration. 



On the Relation hetiveen the Electrolytic 

 Conduction, Specific Inductive Capacity, 

 and Chemical Activity of Certain 

 Liquids: J. H. Mathews. 

 From a study of the dielectric constants 

 of various solvents, as alkyl silicates, mus- 

 tard oils, pyridine, carbon tetrachloride, 

 etc., and also of solutions made with the 

 same, the conclusion is drawn that this 

 value can not be considered an additive 

 one. Certain acids dissolved in the mus- 

 tard oils give non-conducting solutions, 

 though retaining their acid characteristics, 

 and alkaloids and amines also yield non- 

 conducting solutions. Addition of water 

 to a solution of trichloracetic acid in ben- 

 zene produces, up to one tenth of a per 

 cent., very little increase in the conduc- 

 tivity. The work is regarded as an argu- 

 ment against a relation between chemical 

 action and electrolytic phenomena. 

 Dineric Equilibria: W. D. Bancroft. 



The Proximate Composition and Physical 



Structure of Trinidad, Asphalt : Clifford 



Richardson. 



The material, amounting to six per cent, 

 or over, that remains undetermined in the 

 ordinary proximate analysis is found to 

 consist of volatilized inorganic salt, water 

 of hydration from the clay, and absorbed 

 bitumen. A complete analysis is as fol- 

 lows : 



The mineral matter is the residue from 

 the disintegration of granitic rock and con- 

 sists largely of clay. The hydrocarbons 

 and nitrogen compounds correspond to 

 those found in California petroleum.' 



Water and gas 



Bitumen soluble m hot chloroform 



Bitumen adsorbed by clay 



Mineral matter on ignition with trical 



Cium phosphate 



Water of hydration in clay 



Crude 

 Asphalt. 



29.056 

 39.7 



.7 



27..=? 

 3.3 



100.0 



Crude 

 Asphalt 

 Dried. 



56.0^ 

 1.0 



38.5 

 4.5 



100.0 



studies on Phosphate Absorption hy Soils: 



Oswald Schreiner, 



The author is studying the absorption 

 of phosphates by different soil types, ob- 

 taining a curve of absorption and then 

 continuing the work by washing out the 

 absorbed phosphates when a maximum ab- 

 sorption has taken place, thus obtaining 

 the washing-out curve. He finds that the 

 absorption curve is much steeper than the 

 washing-out curve and that the absorbed 

 phosphates are washed out much more 

 slowly than they are absorbed, yielding 

 solutions which are very nearly constant in 

 phosphate content, in the case of any given 

 soil type. Both the absorption curve and 

 washing-out curve are different for dif- 

 ferent soil types and appear to be charac- 

 teristic of the type. The absorbed phos- 

 phates are readily removed by electrolysis 

 in porous cells. 



Laboratory Methods for Studying the 

 Formation of 'Alkali': F. K. Cameron. 

 An account of methods used in the chem- 

 ical laboratory of the Bureau of Soils for 

 studying the formation, movement and ac- 

 cumulation of the different types of 'alkali' 

 found in soils in the arid regions of the 

 west. 



Electro Double Befraction: Howard L. 

 Blackwell. 



The Action of Ethylene Dibromide on 

 p-Nitrosodialkylanilines, II.: Henry A. 



TORREY. 



When ethylene dibromide and p-nitroso- 

 dimethylaniline are heated together at 

 80°-90°, the following reaction occurs: 



