go Chemical Notices from Foreign Sources. {rea
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Influence of Strong Nitrogenous Manures upon ture at which the a&ion of the increased heat condu&ion
the Development of Barley.—Dr. W. Hoffmeister.— zquals the effect of the continuous cooling by evaporation
The author concludes that manuring with nitrogenous is not alike for all kinds of soil. It is highest in
salts increases the absolute weight of the barley, both sandy soils and lowest in moor soil. The differences of
green and dry. Ammoniacal salts are more effeive than temperature between dry and wet soil are very trifling
nitrates, and a@& most advantageously when dissolved in {up to 1'5°), and a wet soil can therefore scarcely be
small portions, and given frequently. They delay, how. chara@erised as cold.
ever, though slightly, the ripening of the crop. The Evaporation of Water from the Soil.—Prof., F,
relative percentage of ash remains constant, and is only Haberlandt.—The evaporation increases with the proporeffected
 by the periods of vegetation, possibly by the ion of water in the soil and is also very much increased
weather, but not by manuring.” The absolute amount of by increased atmospheric heat, even in the absence of
nitrogen is greatly increased by manuring withammonia- dire solar irradiation. Sand and arable soils, even after
cal salts, but much less by nitrates. small additions of water, lose more by evaporation than
Influence of Varying Intensity of Light on the an open water-surface. The behaviour of moor-soil is
Growth of the Vine.—Prof. J. Macagno.—The decrease different. _ The quantity of water near the surface evapoof
 the intensity of light hinders the formation of sugar; rates rapidly, and the process becomes slower with inthe
 formation of the other products of assimilation is creasing depth.
directly proportionate to the intensity of the light. Influence of Potassic Manures upon the Vine, —
Phosphoric Acid in Wines.—Dr. R. Kayser. — Prof. A. Andoynaud.—Sulphate of potash and chloride of
Phosphoric acid in combination is present in all natural potassium have a marked influence upon the growth of
wines. In 100 c.c. the quantity varies from 0:058 grm.in ‘he vine. Nitrate of potash, however, is far preferable,
Malaga, 0037 in Pedro Ximenes, and 0'028 in sele@ 12nd the carbonate inferior in its efficacy. Weak vines
Tokay, down to 0005 in claret, 0'004 in a petit vin from seem to require as much manure as strong ones. An
the Rhone, and 0003 in a red wine from the south of &xcess _of nitrogenous matter is rather injurious than
France. beneficial. Potash must enter into the Sopp oaiiion of
Attempts to Neutralise Sour Wines.—F. Karmann, Vine-manures, as that in the soil is generally in a state
—The author is of opinion that where small quantities "Ot well adapted for assimilation. . .
only of acetic acid have been formed, the addition o' Synthesis of Albuminoids inthe Animal Organism.
sodium or potassium carbonate is not to be condemned —~M. Rudzki and Dr. E. Oertmann.—Rudzki draws from
But the evil is by no means removed, and the acetifica his observations the general conclusion that the organism
tion is very likely to continue. effects the synthesis of albuminoids from the carbohydrates
Spurious Colouration of Wines.—W. Bachmeyer.— and extractive matters or uric acid. He considers the
The author has observed that all the known colouring 2lbuminoids as amides or nitriles of the carbohydrates,
matters used in the sophistication of wines, such as 2nd supposes that the synthesis is effected by the liver.
alizarin, magedta, madder, mallows, bilberries, carrots, Destmany having undertaken a careful RS nbesgeion of
peach wood, cochineal, extra® of indigo, if added tc Ine Vg nas that he mune Ja He.of an Mmeudwhite
 wine, are more readily destroyed by nitric acid of “i€nt diet is not increased by uric acid.
spec. grav. 1‘z than the genuine colour of wine, Five What Influences Determine the Sex of Hemp
c.c. of the suspected wine are mixed with an equal volume Plants ?>—Prof, F. Haberlandt.—The supposition that it is
of the acid, stirred up with a glass rod and let stand. Ii Dossible by external influences to determine a preponthe
 wine is spurious the colour will disappear within an derating development of male or of female individuals is
hour, often in a few minutes ; whilst, if genuine, it remains infounded. In the case of hemp plants the number of
for days. ‘emales almost invariably exceeds that of males, not
“Turning” of Red Wines.—A. Schultz. — Clear, Probably because originally a greater number of female
sound wines sometimes become dull, and assume a faint Berms are developed, but because a greater mortality
and ultimately acid flavour. Gas is then evolved, and :akes place among the male plants, Male plants, like
the red colour of the wine passes into a reddish brown, male insects (and unlike male mammalia), attain maturity
This change is due to a decomposition of the tartar, 2arlier than the respective females. The sex of the future
which is attacked by a ferment, which has been examined hemp plants is pra-determined in the seed.
by Pasteur. Recent Communications on Insects Destru&ive to
Chemical Investigation on the A&ion of Wine Plants, and on their Extirpation.—Dr, N. Dimitrieapon
 the Common Metals.—L. A. Magnien.—The wiaz, Dr. A. Sempolowski, Leo Pribyl, &.—An account
action of wine upon the metals with which it is liable ta of various insects noxious to crops, and of the means
come in contact has been little studied. The author proposed for their destruQion.
finds that if the quantity of cast-iron dissolved by wine= Remarks on the Inversion of Saccharose During
100, that of wrought-iron in an equal time is 97'87, zinc the Process of Refining.—Prof. J. W. Gunning and L.
92°07, lead, 6°26, tinned iron 2-go, tin 159, bronze 072, Serrurier.—In opposition to Girard, Gunning maintains
copper 0°46, and brass 0°28. that a portion of cane-sugar is reduced, not by the pres-.
 ence of reductive sugar, but by free acids.
. Heft 4, 1878. Lo. Adulteration and Examination of Beer.—Prof.
Determination of the Proportion of Ammonia in Reichardt, Prof. Holzner, Dr, Hager, and R. Hofstedt.—
the Air and in Atmospheric Waters.—A. Levy and poy the detection of incipient acidity the taste of an ex-M.
 Allaire. —From the Comptes Rendus. perienced judge and microscopic examination are prefer-Condu@ion
 of Heat in Dry and Moist Soils.— able to the alkalimetric determination of free acid, or
—Prof. F. Haberlandt.—The author's conclusions are the distillation of volatile acids. In the first place titrathat
 the heat conductibility is greater in moist earth than Lion is difficult in a coloured liquid like beer, whilst the
in dry. The effe® of the greater condu@ibility at higher complete removal of free acid by distillation is difficult.
air temperatures is concealed by the greater evaporation The microscope shows very distin@ly the changes which
trom moist soils, the difference 1n temperature between the yeast granules have undergone as soon as a tendency
moist and dry soils to the disadvantage of the latter being to acidification is perceptible. Bottom-yeast consists of
somuchthegreater the more heat is lost by evaporation, i.e, lop-yeast mixed with more oval particles, but when the
the higher the temperature of the air. At low atmo. beer turns sour these are interspersed with a greater or
spheric temperatures (+1° to 18) the better conductibility less number of longish granules, whilst in decidedly sour
of the moist soil comes into play. The limit of tempera- beer long branching threads are present resembling the