rORESTEY. 143 



Preventable causes of grape loss, F. T. Bioletti (Pacific Rural Press, 89 

 {1915), No. 14, P- 4^1)- — A concise summary of causes leading to unsuccessful 

 grape growing with suggestions for their prevention. 



The partridg'e berry (Vaccinium^ vitis-idaea), G. S. Torret (St. John's, 

 Neivfoundland: Dept. Agr. and Mines, 1914, pp- 12). — ^An account of the moun- 

 tain cranberry with reference to its range, relationship, synonyms, habit of 

 growth, method of fruiti)ig, environment of the plant, soil requirements, insect 

 and fungus enemies, picking and packing, cultivation, and methods of starting 

 a plantation. 



Som.e recent literature on nuts and nut growing' (yorth. Nut Growers 

 Assoc. Proc, 5 {1914), PP- 124, 125). — This comprises a short bibliography of 

 literature dealing with dliiereut phases of nut culture. 



Preliminary report on the Persian walnut, W. C. Deming (North. Nut 

 Growers Assoc. Proc, 5 (1914), PP- 114-11'?) ■ — This comprises a preliminary 

 catalogue of bearing Persian walnut trees observed in different sections of the 

 United States and Canada east of the Pacific coast region. 



Conifers: Their usages, plantings, and enemies, H. Kexly (Gard. Chron. 

 of America, 19 (1915), No. 3, pp. 120-123, figs. 4)- — This comprises suggestions 

 relative to the use and care of ornamental conifers, together with a descriptive 

 list of varieties hardy in northern United States. 



Tree planting in streets, J. B. Farmer (Purveyor, ^7 (1915), No. 1208, pp. 

 380-382). — This comprises suggestions on methods of planting street trees, the 

 subject matter being based primarily on a study of the problem for London 

 streets. 



The amateur garden, G. W. Cable (Neic York: Charles Scrihuer's Sons. 

 1914, pp. IX-^199, pis. 32). — A popular work on ornamental gardening, the 

 successive chapters of which discuss My Own Acre, The American Garden, Whei'e 

 to Plan What, The Cottage Gardens of Northampton, Tlie Private Garden's 

 Public Value, and The Midwinter Gardens of New Orleans. 



The development of orchid cultivation and its bearing upon evolutionary 

 theories, J. Constantin (Scientia, 10 (1911), No. XIX+3, pp. 84-100; Ann. Rpt. 

 Smithsn. Inst., 1913, pp. 345-358). — ^^The author gives a resume of the cultural 

 technique which has been evolved in growing and breeding orchids of various 

 species, and advances the opinion that Mendelian laws do not seem applicable to 

 cases of two parent species of an offspring differing from each other by numerous 

 characters. The evidence deduced from the development of orchid culture indi- 

 cates that new characters may be brought about through exterior influences. 



FORESTRY. 



Some observations on the variation in length of coniferous fibers, H. B. 

 Shepard and I. W. Bailet (Proc. Soc. Amer. Foresters, 9 (1914), No. 4, PP' 

 522-527, fig. 1). — The authors have studied the stems of Pinus strobns, P. 

 palustris, Picea rubens, Tsiiga canadensis, and Abies concolor with reference to 

 the variation in length of tracheids in succeeding rings of the cross sections of 

 stems; the variation in length of the tracheids of an annual ring at various 

 heights in the stem ; and the influence of the width of annual rings and " roth- 

 holz " or compression wood upon the length of tracheids. The results are here 

 presented in tabular form and summarized. 



Attention is called to the fact that fiber length varies to a marked degree in 

 different parts of the plant, hence the average fiber length for a given region 

 of the tree is not representative of a species. Since the fiber length in young 



