HORTICULTURE. 977 



Data are given on the export trade in this product, with suggestions on the culture 

 of caoutchouc-producing plants and the future of the industry. 



Methods of tapping rubber trees and collecting latex, P. .1. Burgess {Agr. 

 Bui. Straits and Federated Malay States, 8 {1904), No. 9, pp. 880-885).— The advan- 

 tages and defects of different systems of tapping rubber trees are discussed. The 

 half herringbone method is believed to be the best method yet devised for tapping 

 rubber trees, as the number of cups required by this method of tapping is reduced 

 to a minimum. The method is capable of being systematically carried out on a large 

 scale by coolie labor, and the plan of cutting is simple. 



Experimental studies in arboriculture, L. Daniel (Jardin, 18 (1904), No. 426, 

 p. 342)- — The account here given is supplementary to that previously noted ( K. S. R., 

 16, p. 466), in which it was shown that a sudden change in the functional capacity of 

 a branch produced a series of monstrosities, among which the most frequent was the 

 transformation of a woody branch into a floral branch during the same growing 

 season. Some of the flowers which blossomed, in the case of pears under consider- 

 ation, formed pears more or less modified. It was found that these pears instead of 

 maturing about the first of September did not mature until early in October. The 

 pears were more brilliantly colored than usual and in some of them the dried sta- 

 mens and also the 5 styles, somewhat thickened and fleshy, persisted. There Wi s a 

 marked change in the fiesh of the fruit also, the melting flesh of the normal type 

 being very linn and crisp in the late pears. It is proposed to propagate from plants 

 thus affected to see if these abnormal changes arc of a permanent character. 



Root pruning pecans, 11. W. Stkingfellow ( Texas Farm and Ranch, 24 (1905), 

 No. 8, />/>. 10-12). — The author holds that the usual ill success in transplanting the 

 pecan is due entirely to leaving too long a tap root. He advises cutting off the tap 

 root to a length of 4 or "> in. and setting the tree at least in. deeper than it was 

 before taken up. 



Chestnut culture in Pennsylvania, N. F. Davis (Pennsylvania Dept. Agr. />'»/. 

 128, )i/>. 50, ph. /"'). — This bulletin is largely a description of the methods observed 

 by C K. Sober, of Lewisburg, Pa., in growing the Paragon variety of chestnut by 

 grafting native sprouts arising from the stumps of cut-over chestnut lands. Consid- 

 erable compiled data on the food value of the chestnuts, etc., reprinted largely from 

 publications of this Department, are also incorporated. 



The 1'aragon chestnut appears to make especially good unions on native stock. 

 Whip grafting has given the most satisfactory results. When cleft grafting was prac- 

 ticed and professional grafters employed, only about 5 per cent of the grafts were suc- 

 cessful. .Much better results, 80 to 90 per cent of perfect unions, were secured by 

 personally directing inexperienced men and using the whip graft. Grafting is done 

 for the most part in May, and the scions kept dormant by burying them among cakes 

 of ice in the ice house until needed. The sprouts which arise from the lowest part 

 of the stum)) are most desirable for grafting purposes, as they appear to root better. 

 Any buds below the graft must be rubbed off, otherwise they absorb the nutriment 

 and the graft above dies from starvation. .Fire lanes in the grove are made before 

 grafting begins, as tire is the most serious problem to contend with in chestnut groves. 

 Trees begin to bear when 2 or 3 years from the graft. It has been found advan- 

 tageous to cut back the first year's growth in the fall to a stub 3 or 4 in. long con- 

 taining 2 to 3 buds. 



In growing trees from seed Mr. Sober has found it desirable to keep the nuts buried 

 in sand over winter rather than to plant in the fall. The nuts arc not removed from 

 their winter quarters until they have sprouted. Two methods of planting are then 

 observed. By one method "the nuts are planted in shallow drills, care being taken 

 to lay the sprouts in a horizontal position, covering them about one and one-half 

 inches deep with soil, the nuts having been planted about one foot apart in rows 

 2 or 3 ft. apart. This will allow them to be cultivated with a horse. The tap- 



