48 Pflanzenchemie. — Ano^ewandte Botanik 



ö^ 



Schryvep, S. B., The Chemistry of Chlorophyll. (Science 

 Progress. III. p. 425—449. 1909.) 



This is a useful historical resume of the most important work 

 on the chemistry of Chlorophyll, after a brief account of the resear- 

 ches of Hoppe Seyler, Schunck and Marchlewski, there is a 

 fuller Statement of the recent achievements of Willstätter and his 

 pupils and good tables of the chemical relations of the new Com- 

 pounds are provided. Their work on Carotin and xanthophyll is also 

 summarised. An .account of Tswett's new method of "adsorption- 

 analysis", of Marchlewski's most recent work and of the relation 

 of Chlorophyll to haemoglobin close the article. J. J. Blackman. 



Burtt-Davy, J. and S. M. Stent. Notes from the Economic 

 Herbarium. (Transvaal Agric.Journ. VII. 28. p. 652—657. 1909.) 



Descriptions are given of the following plants: 



1. Acokanthera venenata, fam. Apocynaceae, which contains a 

 very active toxic principle, probably a rather unstable glucoside. 



2. Cotyledon orbiculata, fam. Crassulaceae, probably a poiso- 

 nous plant. 



3. Etnex ceyitropodium, fam. Polygonaceae. This is a very noxious 

 weed on account of its threesided seed vessels bearing three hard 

 Sharp thorns which inflict painfuU wounds. 



4. Monsonia hiflora, fam. Geraniaceae, notable for its medicinal 

 properties. It is used in cases of dysentery and for snake bite. 



A discussion is also raised as to the identity of "loawoomba 

 Canary Grass" {Phalaris commutata?) and as to the medicinal pro- 

 perties of Plantago. W. Brenchley. 



Finlayson, D., Meadow Foxtail. [AlopecuruspratensiSjU). (Jonrn. 

 Board of Agric. XVI. 3. p. 193—198. 1 pl. 1909.) 



The agricultural value of this grass is greatest on the richer 

 clay soils. The vegetative and floral characters are described , but 

 there is no comparison with the allied less useful species. The 

 author has examined seed samples and comments on the great 

 Variation in germinative power. A useful plate gives microphoto- 

 graphs of grains of this grass compared with Alopeciirus agrestis, 

 Holcus lanatus, and Aiva caespitosa, which are frequent adulterations. 



W. G. Smith. 



Oliver, G. W., New Methods of Plant Breeding. (U. S. Dept. 

 of Agric. Bur. of Plant Ind. Bull. CLXVII. p. 1-32. pl. 15. 1909.) 



Ingenious methods for „depollinating", by means of a jet of 

 water or compressed air, small and delicate flowers, hitherto con- 

 sidered impossible for accurate breeding experiments. Some results 

 are given of work accomplished in hybridizing alfalfa, clovers, he- 

 lianthus, grasses, pansies and dahlias, but the most attention is 

 given to a description of improved methods used in depollinating, 

 emasculating and pollinating with a brief discussion of how certain 

 hybrids may have originated in the past, crossing in large and 

 small numbers, the growing and care of the hybrids and raising 

 large quantities of seed from a cross. Trelease. 



ausgesehen: 12 Juli 1910. 



Verlag von Gustav Fischer in Jena. 

 Buchdruckerei A. W. Sijthoff in Leidon. 



