NOTES AND ABSTRACTS 



505 



lack of lime is a predominant chemical feature of Porto Rican soils, so 

 that sugar cane and pineapples become chlorotic in the former case and 

 many plants suffer from soil acidity in the latter. The growth of rice 

 appears to be much depressed by excess of lime in the soil, and other 

 plants that become chlorotic under these conditions are being studied 

 with a view to the confirmation of the theory that chlorosis is due to 

 disturbance in the mineral nutrition of the plants caused by the large 

 amount of calcium carbonate in the soil. — A. P. 



Soy Beans, Varieties in Bengal, &c. By E. J. Woodhouse and 

 C. S. Taylor (Mem. Dep. Agr. India, Bot. Ser. vol. v. pp. 103-176; 

 March 1913 ; plates). — An account of the varieties of this important 

 bean, found in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, with notes on their composi- 

 tion. Six types and three sub-types are described. The cultivation of 

 the soy bean has not reached any magnitude so far in northern India, 

 but the authors consider the difficulties in the way of its increased 

 production by no means insurmountable. — F. J. C. 



Spraying (Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. vol. xxiv. pt. ii. p. 151). — Large 

 numbers of apple trees have been destroyed by injudicious spraying 

 with red oil emulsion. — S. E. W. 



Sterilization, Partial, of Soil for Glasshouse Work. By E. J. 



Russell and F. R. Petherbridge (Jour. Bd. Agr. vol. xix. No. 10 

 pp. 809-827 ; 9 figs.). — The results are given of a number of experi- 

 ments carried out in continuation of the work described in the Jour. 

 Bd. Agr. vol. xviii. No. 10, 1912. 



In addition to the action of steam and dry heat on tomato-sick 

 soil, that of a large number of antiseptics has been investigated. 

 These belong to six groups, viz. : (1) volatile hydrocarbons ; (2) heavy 

 hydrocarbons ; (3) tar acids ; (4) tar bases ; (5) formaldehyde ; 

 (6) inorganic antiseptics. " Some objections may be found to all 

 the substances in these groups. We have not yet met the ideal 

 combination of qualities in any one substance, and the grower's choice 

 must be determined by three considerations — effectiveness, conveni- 

 ence, and price." The best, so far, would appear to be formaldehyde. 

 It is interesting to note that an experiment arranged to see if anything 

 would be gained. by raising plants in soil heated to 130 0 F. (on which 

 retardation of early growth does not set in), and afterwards potting 

 them into steamed soil, failed, because, on the particular lot of steamed 

 soil no retardation appeared, but on the contrary acceleration of 

 seedling growth. 



An experiment with cucumbers was carried out in a house belonging 

 to a market grower with the object of comparing old rejected " sick " 

 soil, both steamed and untreated, with virgin soil. Steamed virgin 

 soil gave the best results, and untreated old sick soil the poorest. Old 

 sick soil sterilized behaved very much like virgin soil unsterilized. 



As the result of an experiment on pot vines it would appear that 

 partial sterilization is the proper method of dealing with vine-sick 

 VOL. xxxix. 2 l 



