Ao^ricultur, Horticultur, etc. — Chemisches, elc. 511 



*■& 



Qvam, O., Zur Bestimmung des Keimvermögens bei Getrei- 

 dewaren. (Landw. Versuchsstat, LXII. p. 405. 1905.) 



Die übliche Keimmethode leidet an dem Fehler, dass sie nur 

 die Keimwurzel bewertet, welche, weil bald absterbend und durch 

 Adventivwurzeln ersetzt, von geringer Wichtigkeit ist. Der Wert 

 eines Saatgutes liegt in der Stengelbildung bezw. in der Bestockung, 

 darum soll man nach Verf. nach bestimmter Wachstumszeit die 

 getriebenen Stengel nahe über dem Boden mit möglichster Gleich- 

 mässigkeit abschneiden und wägen. Die so gewonnenen Resultate 

 wurden durch Feldversuche bestätigt gefunden. 



Hugo Fischer (Berlin.) 



Willis, J. C, The progress of botanical and agricultural 

 science in Ceylon. (Science Progress. Vol. I. p. 308—324, 

 October 1906.) 



Almost all the chief economic plants of Ceylon are introductions, 

 cinnamon being the only important indigenous economic plant. 

 Similarly in most other parts of the tropics the number of plants of 

 the first importance native to any one country is very limited. With 

 the advent of Europeans in the tropics this State of aflfairs rapidly 

 changed and plant introductions were numerous. The Portuguese, 

 the Dutch and the English in their successive occupations of Ceylon 

 have brought in plants from all parts of the world. 



The history of the Ceylon Botanic Department is traced, and 

 the widening of the scope of his activity well brought out. Successive 

 introductions by the gardens in comparatively recent years have 

 been cinchona, the rubber trees of South America and tea. The 

 work of the Ceylon Department in connection with rubber is 

 sketched, and also some of the useful results which have followed 

 the additions to the staff of entomologist, mycologist and chemist. 



The reasons which lead to the establishment of the most recent 

 addition, that of an Experiment Station are traced, the days of new 

 products for most colonies and dependencies is past, what is now 

 required is the study of the existing crops, the improvement of 

 methods of cultivation, manuring, harvesting and the preparation of 

 the produce for market. Experiment Stations are organized to do 

 this on a more adequate scale than is possible in Botanic Gardens 

 of the ordinary type, although these are no less important than 

 hitherto. In Ceylon Experiment Stations have been formed in 

 representative climatic districts. 



Agricultural education, agricultural banks, and agricultural 

 societies are amongst other topics discussed. Comparisons are also 

 made between the Ceylon and similar botanical departments in 

 Java and the West Indies. W. G. Freeman. 



Brissemoret, A. et R. Combes. Contribution a Tetude phar- 

 macologique de quelques plantes ä asarone. (Bull. Sc. phar- 

 macol. T. XIII. p. 368—378. 1906.) 



Les plantes etudiees sont Asanmi europaeiim , A. canadense 

 et Acorus Calatnus. 



L'asarone existe dans la racine, le rhizome, le petiole et la 

 feuille de VAsarum europaeum ; dans le rhizome il se trouve en plus 



