636 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



lies in different countries of the ^Yorkl, with a review of the more recent litera- 

 ture on the suliject and .-;i)eciHr dirottions for cultivation. 



Study on Rheum rhaponticum, U. Cristofoletti (Inauy. /J/.s.s., Univ. Bern, 

 I'JO.i. pp. 6.i. pis. .', ) . — A bricl' historical account is ^iven of rhubarb from the 

 standiMjint of its use in medicine, with the results of a chemical study of the 

 plant from the standpoint of the druggist. 



Horticultural section, W. J. Palmer (Nem Zeal. Dept. Agr. Ann. Rpt.. llf 

 {1906), pp. 2Jf7~25,j, pis. 16). — An outline of the horticultural work carried on 

 durijig the year at the Momohaki experiment station with different fruits and 

 vegetables. The Northern Spy apple has been found especially desirable as an 

 apple stock because of its fibrous-rooted nature and its total resistance to aphis. 

 Trees which have borne practically no fruit on Paradise stocks when grafted 

 on Northern Spy stocks have borne well every season, and the union has been 

 more jterfect than on the Paradise stocks. 



Hypodermic injections in plants (Gard. Chron., 3. ser., J/l (1907), No. 

 1045, p. 8). — An account taken from the Journal de la 8ociete Nationale d' Horti- 

 culture de France is given of the work of J. M. Simon in injecting nutritive 

 fluids into the stems of trees and other plants as a means of rejuvenation. For 

 trees a receptacle containing the fluid to be injected is placed at a height of 

 about G ft. above the ground level. From this a pipe is carried down nearly to 

 the level of the soil, to which a funnel-shaped curved tube is attached at the 

 base and made to penetrate the young wood at the roots of the tree. By this 

 means a certain amount of pressure is secured. 



The work has been carried on with apples, peaches, vines, and potatoes. In 

 the case of the peach purin was injected mixed with water, as a result of 

 which a decrepit tree was made to grow vigorously. Other materials used 

 were nitrate of potash and certain chemical solutions closely resembling sap 

 in composition. By this method of treatment peach trees that had previously 

 been attacked with blister dropped their leaves and produced new ones which 

 were unaffected by the fungus. A» solution of copper sulphate injected into 

 vines resulted injuriously in part, but with the aid of copious waterings the 

 leaves partially recovered, and at the end of the experiment neither Oidium 

 nor mildew was to be seen either on the foliage or berries. 



A like arrangement was used in injecting fluid into cabbage, cauliflowers, and 

 potatoes, the receptacle containing the licpiid being at a height of from .3 to 4 

 ft. above the collar of the plant, at which place the funnel-shaped cannula was 

 inserted. 



The importance of lime as a plant food for seedlings, von Brehmer 

 (Oartenwelt, 11 (1907), No. 1.',. pp. 163, 16',. ftii. J).— The author points out the 

 greater use that seeds in germination and first growth make of lime over potash 

 or phosphoric acid and gives the results of a germination test with seeds of a 

 number of varieties of flowers with and without lime. In every instance a 

 much larger germination percentage was secured where an abundance of lime 

 was present. 



Relative to the use of lime it is stated that if quicklime is used it should be 

 applied to the soil at least 8 weeks before the seed is planted. The carbonate, 

 on the other hand, can be applied within a day of planting without injurious 

 results. In any case the lime should be thoroughly well mixed with the soil 

 before the seeds are planted. 



Plant breeding in relation to American pomology, W. M. Munson (Maine 

 Hta. Bui. 132, pp. lJi9-176). — A brief account is given of the methods of work 

 heretofore employed in plant breeding as related to the development of American 

 fruits. The results accomplished up to the present time in breeding straw- 



