JANUARY, 1950
51
respiration and photosynthesis. Hence the student of any aspect of nutrition will find that a general knowledge of the role of soil elements in plant physiology is essential to a broad knowledge io the field as s. whole. The invest,igator who desires a rapid, readily comprehensiblc, and yet critical review of the many problems concerned with mineral ahsorption by plants will find Hoagland's "Inorganic Plant Nutrition" a most useful source of information, a. fact demonstrated by the demand for a second printing of the book. The leotures given by Professor Hoaglaglend originally a t H a r v a d University, under the Prather Lectureship, comprise the seven chaptors. The treatment of the subject begins with a survey of thr: problems of plant nutrition that are related to soil colloids and the factors controlling the generation, sbsorpt,ion, and exchange of ions. &Text, tho role of micronutrient elements is illustrated by a discussion of the multiple effects of minute concentrations of zinc. Many of the well-known experiments with large algal cells and excised barley roots are reviewed in order to give a prccise concept of present theories about the absorption and ttecumulation of salts by plant cells. In these cases, emphasis is given to the fact that absorption against concentration gradients is possible only when metabolic oncrgy is available. Continuing in logical sequcnco, the upward movement and distribution of inorganic solutes in plant tissues is discussed in relation to absorbed oxygen and light. encrgy, root pressure, and trans+ piration. The use of radioactive isotopes in such studies for the last decade has substantiated several hypotheses concerning these phenomena. Artificial culture techniques are evaluated in a separate chapter. Tho aspccts of amino arid synthesis that. are related to ammonium and nitrate nitroeen assimilation are
is given extensive treatment, since it is correlated with such factors as replaceahle and nonreplaceahle forms in the soil and plant ssp buffer systems. The hook will furnish excellent collateral reading for the studcnt in general or organic chemistry. Further Gquiry in tho fidd is aided by well-ehoscn bibliography a t the end of each chapter. Professor Hoagland's long career as a distinguished plant physiologist lends oonsiderahlc weight to the many a p praisals of the work of others on the suhject of nutrition. The book is attraotively printed and hound, as are all the works in this well-known series of plant scimcc books. GEORGE L. CHURCH Bnorvn Umrrnas~~r PROVIDENW. RADDE1 8 1 ~ ) i n
its eompounds, the crust of the earth, the most important organic oompounds, and the importance of chemistry in the life of a nation. This book. which is used in Gcrmsnv in sehaols eorrc-
0
LEHRBUCH DER CHEMIE, OBERSTUFE
Rudolf Winderlich, F~iedr. Vieweg & Sohn. Braunschweig. Germany, 1949. 291 pp. 154 figs. 15 X 21 cm.
IN THE introduction to this volume the author refers to the following words writtcn by Johsnn Wolfgang van Goethc: "Patriotic a ~and t patriotic seionco do not exist. Both belong, as docs everything good, to the cntire world, and their progress deocnds on a, free intorchrtneo af ideas of all livine. a t the same time
fer in chemical reactions; the most important nonmetallic clcments and the ionic theory; chemistry of metals; radioactivity and atomic structure. Tho discussion of organic chemistry is subdivided into tho following two headings: compounds with embon chains and eompounds bascd on carbon rings. One single citation from this book should move that the reviemr is not ex-
even in colleges. Discussing t,he atom's structure in thc most, simple but nevertheless clearly understandable tcrms, he refcrs to alecture u.hich the late Max Planck gave in November, 1941, when he discussed chain react,ions and said: "In this way the effects multiply themselves, and i t can happen that by the constantly increasing bombardment of the neutrons on the uranium atoms, the number of released ncutrans, and thereby the amount of formed energy, will incroaso in short time like an avalanchp, taking the number of availnble atoms into consideration. This can reaoh in a short time enormous, rtctually incomprehensible dimensions, so that they might lead for that specific location, or cven for our ent,ire planet, t,o a a!rious cat.astrophr."
LEHRBUCH DER CHEMIE, UNTERSTUFE Rudolf Winderlich, Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig, Germany, 1948. 154 pp. 72 figs. 15 X 21 cm.
INTEE introdu~tion,the author quotes the following words of Benelius: "Anyone who gives a scientific demonstration must go to the utmost trouble to make it as clear and as easy to comprehend as possible for those who should understand it, because it would bc foolish to make the demonstrations of science simple for the one who mekesit hut a t the expense of those who shouldlearn about it." The author certainly has followcd this thesis. The hook is divided into thirteen chapters. Tho first discusses the problems with which ohemistry is faced, refers to the most important metals, sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, acids, alkalis, orystdliaation, distillation, and esrhon dioxide gas. Chspter 2 is devoted to air andfire,includinga detailed discussion of oxygen and its properties and its assimilation into the human body by breathing. Chapter 3 covers the properties of water. Chapter 4 is devoted to the basic laws of chemistry, including reduction by hydrogen, oxidation by oxygen, formation of chemical compounds, and the atomic theory. Thisis followed by chapters on iron the most important compounds of sulfur, salt and hydrochloric acid, alkali mot& and their compounds, nitrogen compounds, carbon and
0
CALCULATIONS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY
1. C. Hackney, Indiana University. The University B w k Store, Indiana University, Calumet Center, 3901 Indianapolis Boule146 pp. 5 figs. 21 X vard, East Chicago, Indiana, 1949. xi 27 cm. $2.25.
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As TAE title indicates, this mimeographed manual contains 29 chapters ranging from Computation Rules (Chapter 1) to Atomic Structure (Chapter 29). The hook is designed to supplement the use of a regular textbook. Extensive lists of problems are provided. One or more examples of each of the various types of caleulstions is worked out in detailed form. Answers to selected problems are included on pp. 13S141. A table of logarithms and a periodic chart (Merck & Company, Inc.) are included in the aooendix.
