HORTICULTURE. 26*7 



imperfect the seedlings are likely to he very evenly divided as regards sex. Imper- 

 fect blossoms appear to be much smaller than perfect blossoms. 



Crosses between Win. Belt and wild strawberries have given very weak offspring. 

 Strawberries mulched with evergreen boughs came through the winter in better 

 condition and started into growth much better in the spring than when mulched 

 with bog hay. 



Strawberries, L. C. Corbett (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 198, pp. 24, fig*. 14, 

 map 1). — Popular directions are given for the propagation and field culture of straw- 

 berries with notes on varieties and on forcing strawberries for winter fruit. 



Strawberry growing, W. L. Howard [Ann. Rpt. Missouri State Bd. Agr., 36 

 {1903), pp. 260-273, pis. 3, figs. 4). — Complete directions are given for the planting 

 and care of strawberries including directions for irrigating, winter mulching, picking, 

 packing, and marketing. 



Dewberry record covering five years at Puyallup (Northwest. Hort., 17 (1904) , 

 No. 9, p. 196). — A record is given of the number of crates, of berries grown and tin- 

 expenses each year for 5 years for an acre of dewberries. The average net receipts 

 for the years 1899 to 1903, inclusive, were $243.73 per acre per year. 



Cranberry production, A. J. Rider (Ann. Rpt. New Jersey Stale Bd. Agr., 81 

 (1903), pp. 102-105). — A historical account is given of the development of cranberry 

 industry in New Jersey. 



The profitable extraction of alcohol from pressed grape husks, A. J. Per- 

 kins (Jour. Agr. and I ml., South Australia, 7 (1904), No. 11, pp. 607-614, figs. 2). — 

 From analyses made by the author it is estimated that the alcohol retained in the 

 husks of grapes after being pressed is about 4.8 gal. of proof spirit per ton of fruit, or 

 about 12.25 gal. of proof spirit per ton of marc. It is believed that under certain 

 conditions the profitable recovery of this alcohol might be undertaken by systematic 

 leaching in a series of tanks in a manner similar to that employed in the extraction 

 of sugar from sugar beets by the diffusion method, followed by distillation. 



With a series of 5 tanks and 5 leachings for each tank, 34.662 tons of fruit which 

 had previously yielded 4.922 gal. of wine averaging 13 per cent of absolute alcohol, 

 an additional 50 gal. of "piquette" averaging 7.4 per cent alcohol, or 13 per cent 

 proof spirit, was obtained. 



The fertilization of the vine, A. Cimatti (La Concimazione delta Vile. Bologna: 

 Societa Tipografica gid, Compositori, 1904, pp. 56, figs. 9). — Some experiments tending 

 to show the value of commercial fertilizers in Italian vineyards are recorded. 



How the raisin is seeded, H. A. Crafts (Home Sci. Mag., 21 (1904), No. 3, 

 pp. 121, 122). — A description of the process by which raisins are seeded on a 

 commercial scale. 



Rubber cultivation (Planting Opinion, 9(1904), No. 13, pp.266, 267). — An 

 account, taken from the Mysore Gazette, is given by the superintendent of the 

 government gardens at Mysore of the production, spread, and possible utility of 

 the rubber tree Manihot glaziovii. Ceara rubber is said to grow remarkably well at 

 Mysore. In 1885, when the first saplings were 5 years old, tappings were made and 

 a small ball of rubber obtained, but the flow of latex at that time was very feeble. 



In 1904 a series of tapping experiments were again conducted with these trees, 

 which amply proved that the Ceara tree is quite productive of latex in the climate 

 of Bangalore. From one single tree a yield of 7 lbs. of rubber was obtained in one 

 year, and the tree did not appear to be in the slightest exhausted. This tree was 

 15 or 16 years old, and was tapped 83 times during the year. 



The results of the season's experiments in tapping are believed to show that at 

 15 years of age and upwards every woody part of the tree, including root-limbs, is 

 well charged with latex. Trees of the same age are not equally productive. The 

 ro< (t-lind)s are productive of latex when the trunk is nearly exhausted, and vice versa. 

 The latex has been found to flow most freely from 6 to 8 a. in., and, excepting in 



