94 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST, 



Betula, — Mr. W. H, Blanchard of Westminster, Vt,^ 

 has issued the first leaflet of a series to be called Betula 

 and devoted to observations on the plants in which he is 

 interested. In this first numl)er he has described two new 

 white birches from Vermont. 



Jewel Weeds and Frost. — In connection with the 

 hardiness of the seedlings of jewel weed {Itnpatiens), it is 

 interesting to note that in the fall the first plants to show^ 

 the effect of frost are these same jewels. Before the hick- 

 ories begin to turn, or even the ailanthus shows the action 

 of the cold, the jewel weeds w^ill turn black, and wither; 

 and that is the end of summer. — H. C. Skeels,Joliet, 111. 



Soap Tree of Algeria. — Steps are being taken in 

 Algeria to manufacture natural soap on a large scale from 

 the tree known as Sapindus utilis. This plant, which has 

 long been known in Japan, China and India, bears a fruit 

 of about the size of a horse-chestnut, smooth and round. 

 The color varies from a yellowish green to brown. The 

 inner part is of a dark color and has an oily kernel. The 

 tree bears fruit in its sixth year and yields from 55 to 220 

 pounds of fruit. By using water or alcohol the saponace- 

 ous ingredient of the fruit is extracted. The cost of pro- 

 duction is said to be small and the soap, on account of 

 possessing no alkaline qualities, is superior to the ordi- 

 nary soap of commerce. We may remark that this is the 

 *'soap nut" of India, our common Rheeta, in such exten- 

 sive use amongthe natives of India, — Indian Planting- and 

 Gardening. 



Plant Food Tablets.— It is well known that plants 

 take most of their bulk from the air, the roots serving 

 mainly to supply them with water and mineral matter. 

 The amount of the latter needed is so small that many 

 plants can live for long periods in ordinary rain-water, 

 but sooner or later plants cultivated thus, be^initft-shaW'^ : 

 the lack of the minerals. That it is these substances and 

 not merely the soil for which the plants languish may be 

 proved by adding certain chemicals to the water when 

 the plants continue to thrive as well as if planted in soil. 



