HORTICULTURE. 853 



A7ner. flard., 2S [1902), No. 399, pp. 525, 526). — The results of a number of experi- 

 ments in the electro-culture of rye, barley, oats, wheat, and a number of garden 

 crops are here briefly reported upon. In these experiments the growth of barley, 

 wheat, and rye was increased 40 per cent by the aid of electricity obtained from a 

 Holz machine. The plants were grown in pots. An isolated net of metal furnished 

 with points was suspended above the pots, while the soil in the pots was connected 

 with the ground by means of sheets of tin. In one series of pots the electricity 

 passed from the wire net to the plants, in another series, the reverse direction was 

 observed, while a third received no current whatever. Experiments on an extensive 

 scale with garden crops gave an increase in j'ield as follows: Turnips, 107.2 per cent; 

 potatoes, 76.2 per cent; mangel wurzels, 65.3 per cent; radishes, 59.1 per cent; pars- 

 nips, 5-4.5 per cent; leeks, 42.1 per cent, and white cabbage, 43.6 per cent. Straw- 

 berries subjected to the electro-culture ripened their crop in 26 to 33 days, while in 

 control plats the crop was 54 days in maturing. It is believed that the time will 

 eventually come when the use of electricity will be indispensable in the cultivation 

 of various plants, like lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes, endives, cucuml)ers, radishes, 

 etc., under glass in tenijierate climates during the winter season. 



Note on some grafting experiments, R. II. Biffen {Ami. Bot., 16 {1902), Xo. 61, 

 pp. 174-176). — The outcome of a series of experiments to test the possibility of 

 obtaining improved varieties of cultivated plants by grafting are reported. The most 

 successful grafts were obtained by the use of seedlings having from 3 to 6 leaves, 

 both for stocks and scions. Beets were one of the easiest plants to graft, nearly every 

 graft being successful. The boundary line between the graft of different varieties of 

 beets was very well marked in every instance, the crimson of the Mammoth Red not 

 gradually blending with the white of the sugar beet. The grafted beets were slightly 

 dwarfed in size. A light dwarfing tendency was noted when Tropivolum majus was 

 grafted on T. canariense, and vice versa. The flowering period was also retarded 6 

 to 8 weeks, and the grafted plants w'ere especially subject to the attacks of slugs and 

 caterpillars. 



Radishes {Raphanus raphanistrum) were also seriously dwarfed and retarded in 

 growth by grafting. 



Successful grafts were also made between white {Trifolmm repeiis), red {T. pra- 

 tom'), and alsike {T. hyhridum) clovers; between red clover and alfalfa; red clover 

 and sand clover {AnthylUs vulneraria); and between various Crucifera', as kale broc- 

 coli, and Brussel si)routs on cabbage, and vice versa. 



This series of exiieriments is believed to confirm Daniel's work in showing that 

 the effect of grafting is to dwarf growth, retard the flowering season, and in some 

 cases render the plants more subject to the attacks of pests. In none of these exper- 

 iments was there any visible effect of stock on scion, or vice versa. In grafting 

 potatoes, however, having smooth green skin and deep eyes, upon potatoes with 

 thick, rough, brown skin and shallow eyes, the same- plant often produced tubers of 

 both types. In some instances one end of the tubers resembled one type and the 

 other end the other type. Sometimes there was a short constriction between the two 

 ends, and again the yellowish green skin of one end gradually passed over into the 

 rough, corky skin of the other, and the tubers were regular in shape. "Tubers in 

 which the 2 tyjjes were blended never occurred." In halving the tubers transversely 

 each portion was indistinguishable from one of its parents. The tubers showed all 

 the characteristics of the parent, and not certain dominant ones. The graft hybrid 

 is therefore not comparable with the sexually produced hybrid in this respect. 



The propagation of plants, L. C. Corbett ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 157, 

 pp. 24, fiijX'. 22). — A popular discussion of the different methods of growing ]>lants, 

 more especially from cuttings and by layering, grafting, and buddinii. The details 

 of these various operations are described and illustrated. 



