46 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



pp. 566-570). — A classification has 1)een made of the different varieties of pears 

 grown in the pomological regions of France, as to choicest fruits, cooking and show 

 fruits, market or local fruits, and varieties of still lower qualities. Under each head- 

 ing an indication is given of the quality, time of maturity, and character of the tree 

 of the different varieties coming inider it. 



Report of the committee on new fruits, II. L. Hutt, W. T. Macoun, and L. 

 WooLVERTON {Ontario Fruit Groivers' As.soc. Bpt. 1901, pp. i,?-17) .—Brief descrip- 

 tions are given of 6 new apple seedlings, 2 peaches, and 1 each of pears, plums, and 

 rasp})erries, all of Canadian origin. 



Old world contributions to western orchards, C. E. Bessey {Proc. Soc. Prom. 

 Agr. >S'r('. 1901, pp. 26-34). 



Spring- frosts and. fruit trees, H. MGller-Thuegau {Ztschr. Pflanzenlrank., 10 

 {1900), pp. 335-340, figs. 3; abs. in Jour. Rag. Hort. Soc. [London], 26 {1901), No. 1, 

 pp. 193, 194). ^A study is here reported of the effects of late spring frosts on flower 

 buds of cherries, apricots, peaches, and strawberries. 



Fruit shipments to Britain, J. W. Robertson {Ontario Fruit Growers' Assoc. 

 Rpt. 1901, pp. 63-75). — An account of the experiments being made in Canada in 

 shipping orchard fruits to England. The report is largely devoted to methods of 

 cold storage ol)served. 



Coffee culture, A. Hempel {Bol. Agr. Sao Paulo, 2. ser. {1901), No. 12,]>p. 783-786).— 

 Notes on coffee culture are presented in a popular manner. 



Cacao culture and preparation, II. J. Wigman {Teysmannia, 12 {1901), No. 2-3, 

 pp. 102-111). — The author describes the methods of harvesting cacao and preparing 

 the beans for market. The beans must be well ripened, but not overripe, since both 

 immature and overripe beans are of inferior quality. Fruits from different varieties 

 must be kept separate, special treatment being required for each kind. Fermenta- 

 tion is necessary not only to enable the |)lanter to remove the husk from the bean, 

 but also to improve the quality and color. The white seeds of the Nicai'agua cacao 

 require only 4 to 8 hours of fermentation to take on the jiroper color. The varieties 

 whose seeds have a white fracture give the best beans, as they take on the chocolate 

 or light brown tint desired in the trade. 



When the fruits are gathered they are piled up and allowed to remain for a few 

 days before being taken to the husking sheds. Here the outer shell is removed, and 

 on well-managed plantations is disposed of in such a way as to prevent the possi- 

 bility of infec-ting future crops with fungus diseases. The husked beans are allowed 

 to lie for a few hours, after which they are spread in the sun to dry for .5 or 6 hours. 

 They are then raked into piles to sweat, and the next day are again spread out. 

 This process is repeated until the beans are cured. The piles of fermenting beans 

 attain a temperature of 100 to 120° F., and occasionally 190° F. is reached. The 

 latter is, however, dangerous, for it has a very detrimental effect upon the quality of 

 the beans. Frequently red clay, ocher, or annotto is used to give a good color to 

 the cacao. — ii. m. pieters. 



The culture of rubber plants in Java, Yersin {Rev. Agr. Reunion, 7 {1901), 

 No. 4, pp. 152-160). — An account is given of the culture and growth of Picas elastica 

 and JLri'd hrasilieiisis. 



Notes on rubber strip for grafting, R. B. Rogers {.Tour. Rog. J fort. Soc. 

 [Loiulon'], 26 {1901), No. 1, p. 248). — Pure rubber strip has been found very useful 

 by the author in grafting. The material used is the same as that employed in 

 insulating joints on electric wires, and can be bought in the form of a small roll of 

 tape. The graft is cut to fit the stock in the usual way, and the rubber strip well 

 stretched and then wound around the joint so as to cover the whole of it from end 

 to end. It should be stretched tightly while laying it on, in order to form an air- 

 tight covering and hold the graft firmly in place. A strip 4 to 5 in. long and \ in. 

 wide is sufficient for ordinary grafts. Rul)ber solution should be used for moistening 



