724 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



tion. He said opinions of scientists as expressed on this subject did not agree, 

 and quoted some differences. His view was that sewage was oxidized, and to 

 gain evidence on the point he collected specimens of the water to be found in 

 the Mississippi at Bissell's Point, foot of Lesperance Street, off the docks at Car- 

 ondelet, at the Quarantine station and at Crystal City. The analyses showed 

 that the purest water was found at Quarantine, which is two miles below the foot 

 of Lesperance Street, where the worst water was obtained, and where the main . 

 sewers empty their contents into the stream. The water at Crystal City was next 

 to the Quarantine in purity, while the water at Bissell's Point, from whence the 

 city's supply is drawn, was third in purity, and Carondelet fourth. He found in 

 this ample proof th-at sewage was oxidized and the water purified by running 

 freely in a stream, as also an argument in favor of the establishment of the base 

 of water supply for the city at the Chain of Rocks, above the present point, 

 which is below a drainage district of the city. 



The next publication will be a memorial to the late Dr. Englemann. Prof. 

 Asa Gray will be here in April or May, and will be entertained by the Academy. 

 Dr. George Richter was admitted to membership. At the next meeting Prof. 

 Nipher will discourse on some electrical experiments. 



A STUDY OF AMERICAN WHEATS. 



A chemical investigation of the wheats of the country has been going on 

 for two years in the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture. Such results 

 have been obtained that Mr. Clifford Richardson, the chemist, feels justified in 

 giving publicity to them. From very elaborate tables showing the analysis of a 

 great variety of wheats from all parts of the country these deductions are made. 

 The main failing of American wheats is their deficiency in albuminoids. The 

 highest percentage of albuminoids found by Prof. Richardson was 17.15 in a 

 Minnesota wheat. Russian wheats have been shown to contain 29.56 per cent. 

 The albuminoids are regarded as the most valuable part of the grain. Prof. 

 Richardson says it is difficult to explain for what reason American wheats con- 

 tain so much less water than is given in the foreign averages, but he has never 

 seen a sample which contained as much as the average given by the chemist 

 Wolf for German wheat. He concludes that the hotter and drier summers of 

 America may afford the explanation. A comparison of the samples analyzed 

 shows that the wheat of the eastern States is the poorest raised, falling below the 

 average in albuminoids, in ash and in size. The improvement is gradual and reg- 

 ular until the Pacific slope is reached, where there is a decided falling off in qual- 

 ity. The best wheat grows between the Mississippi and the mountains. It has 

 a higher average in oil, albuminoids and ash. The Oregon and California wheats, 

 although showing large and handsome grains, contain a comparatively low amount 

 of albuminoids. 



After crossing the Mississippi the averages show that in Missoiiri and Kansas 



