HORTICULTURE. 145 



On vegetable forcing with special reference to the etherization of straw- 

 berries, G. BuLTEL (Jour. Soc. Nat. Hort. France, J,, ser., ii5 (1912), Apr., 

 pp. 212-211).— In support of his previous investigations (E. S. R., 19, p. 144), 

 the author found in tests conducted in 1911 that strawberry plants submitted to 

 ether vapor came into bearing about 2 weeks earlier than untreated plants. 



Grape stocks best suited for dry and limy soils, N. GARCii de los Salmones 

 (Prog. Agr. y Pecuario, 11 (1911), Nos. 120, pp. 330-332; 121, i)p. SJi€-31,8; 128, 

 pp. 361-36/,; 120, pp. 319, 380; 130, p. 396; 131, pp. J,10-J,12).—A paper on this 

 subject prepared with special reference to Spanish conditions and based upon 

 various papers read before the International Congress of Agriculture. 



Hot room callusing, F. T. Bioletti and L. Bonnet (California Sta. Circ. 

 16, pp. 12, figs. 6). — In a previous bulletin of the station a method of callusing 

 grape cuttings in beds of sand was described (E. S. R., 18, p. 549). The sand 

 callusing bed, however, has been found to have many defects and inconveniences, 

 most of which can be overcome by stratifying the cuttings in boxes of moss 

 and callusing in a hot room. Tbe hot room method, which has been adopted 

 in California by all of tbe large producers of grafted vines, is here discussed 

 in detail under the following headings: Methods of grafting, graft trays, 

 callusing boxes, callusing materials, lilling the boxes, the hot room, temperature, 

 moisture, aeration, removal from the hot room, hardening, and planting. 



Investigations on the practice of heading-in grapes, L. Ravaz (Ann. 

 Ecole Nat. Agr. MontpeUicr, n. ser., 11 (1912), No. .',, pp. 285-323, figs. 7).— The 

 author reviews the literature of the subject and gives an account of his inves- 

 tigations conducted for a number of years at the Montpellier Agricultural 

 School. 



Summarizing the results it appears that the practice of heading-in, if em- 

 ployed shortly after the flowering season, tends to increase production, but at 

 the expense of quality. 



Grape culture in Pennsylvania, W. H. Snx (Penn. Dept. Agr. Bui. 217, 

 1912, pp. 66, pis. 51). — ^A practical treatise, superseding Bulletin 128 of the 

 same series (E. S. R., 16. p. 976), on commercial grape growing, discussing 

 the extent and history of the grape industiy, and the location, details of pro- 

 duction, and business management of a vineyard. 



Contribution to the study of olive varieties, J. Ruby (Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. 

 France, 12 (1912), No. 3, pp. 299-316).— A classification -of the related varieties 

 of olives growing in France, based upon the shape of the fruit. The important 

 characteristics of each variety are indicated, together with its common name, 

 cultural region, and composition of pulp. 



Protecting the California orange crop from frost, A. G. McAdie (Ifo. 

 Weather Rev., 39 (1911), No. 12, pp. 1910-1912).— The author reviews the condi- 

 tions prevailing in California during the frost period of December, 1911, com- 

 pares the results with those of previous years, and cites examples in which citrus 

 orchards were successfully protected from frost damage by the use of smudges 

 and orchard heaters. 



Keeping quality of citrus fruit treated to eliminate frosted fruit, C. W. 

 Mann (Cal. Cult., 38 (1912). No. 19, pp. 582, 599, 601).— A re^-iew of the results 

 secured in a number of California packing houses in the use of distillate or 

 kerosene oil and of alcohol in separating frosted citrus fruit from sound fruit. 



The alcohol method has proved the most satisfactory, the fruit being unin- 

 jured by the treatment, except where the skin has been previously punctured 

 or broken. The use of distillate in the treatment of oranges generally shows a 

 bad effect on the flavor of the fruit and results in an increased percentage of rot. 



Alcohol for separation of frosted fruit, D. C. Lefferts (Cal. Cult., 38 

 (1912), No. 19, pp. 583, 584). — The author reports orogress during the past 



