HOKTICULTURE. 339 



The error of experiment in agricultural field trials, A. D. Hall aud B. J, 

 Russell (C/iem. News, 102 (1910), No. 265 Ji, p. 180; abs. in Jour. Soc. Chem. 

 Indus., 29 {1910), No. 20, p. 1218). — In analyzing the causes of error the authors 

 classify them under lack of uniformity of soil, lack of uniformity in conditions 

 of growth, and effect of season, and estimate the total magnitude of the error 

 of experiment at Rothamsted as 10 per cent. They would not generally " lay 

 stress on differences of less than 15 per cent." 



Plant breeding-, A. H. Cockayne (Jour. Neio Zeal. Dept. Agr., 1 (1910), No. 

 If, pp. 234-241)- — This article very briefly summarizes the plant breeding work 

 of the world on cereals, fruits, vegetables, sugar beets, root crops, and forage 

 plants, and suggests lines of investigations for New Zealand. 



HORTICULTURE. 



The California vegetables in garden and field, E. J. Wickson (San Fran- 

 cisco, 1910, 2. ed., rev. and enl., pp. 367, pi. 1, figs. 20). — Although this work 

 deals primarily with vegetable growing in California, it is offered as a manual 

 of practice with and without irrigation for semitropical countries. 



The Lamao Experiment Station, O. B. Burrel (PhiUppirie Agr. Rev. [Eng- 

 lish Ed.], 3 (1910), No. 10, pp. 581-586, pis. 2).— A description of the work of 

 this station, which has been confined chiefly to the testing of vegetables and 

 the growing of nursery stock, fruits, and other plants for distribution. More 

 recent lines of work taken up are the selection and bi'eeding of native vege- 

 tables and fruits. Short descriptive and cultural notes are given of a number 

 of native vegetables of special value for general use. 



Wild ginseng in Manchuria, M. Tomiiye and T. Yoshida (Spec. Crops, 

 n. ser., 9 (1910), No. 100, pp. //7I--'/7,{). — An account of wild ginseng in Man- 

 churia relative to its history, distribution, and habitat, gathering, preparation, 

 marketing, etc. 



The influence of the hygrometric condition on the growth of mushrooms, 

 M. PoNROY (Separate from Bui. Soc. Mycol. France, 26 (1910), No. 3, pp. 9, 

 map 1). — A discussion of conditions of temperature and humidity suitable for 

 the development of mycelium and of fruit. The author attributes numerous 

 failures and poor success in mushroom culture to neglect to regulate atmos- 

 pheric conditions in conformity, as far as possible, with such as favor the 

 development of mushrooms in the open air. 



Parthenogenesis among gooseberries, Bwert (Landw. Jahrb., 39 (1910), No. 

 3, pp. 4GS-410, pis. 2). — In continuation of the author's previous studies of 

 parthenogenetic fruit (E. S. R., 22, p. 639), two varieties of gooseberries were 

 studied to determine whether fruit could be produced by decorticating or ring- 

 ing the branches in the absence of pollination, which was mechanically pre- 

 vented (B. S. R., 19, p. 142). Seedless fruit was suecessfully produced in this 

 way. 



The seedless fruit was somewhat smaller and matured about 14 days earlier 

 than the seeded fruit of the check plants. 



Studies of the anatomy and chemical composition of the seedless fruit showed 

 that, contrary to the results secured by Miiller-Thurgau in his work with grapes 

 (E. S. R., 11, p. 932), the cells in the fruit pulp were much larger and the fruit 

 walls much thicker in the seedless than in the seeded fruit. Tile enlargement 

 was principally in the portion between the vascular bundles and the endocarp. 

 Furthermore, chemical analysis showed the seedless fruit to contain a higher 

 sugar and acid content than the seeded fruit when both kinds were fully ripe. 

 There was a weaker development of vascular bundles in the seedless fruits. 



81088°— No. 4—11 4 



