HORTICULTURE. 543 



A list of the selected varieties for 1909 is given in which each variety and 

 its characteristics are described. On black soils in 1909, plants of B 6450 and 

 B 1376 yielded 6,429 and 5,756 lbs. of sugar per acre, respectively, as com- 

 pared with 3,827 lbs. from White Transparent. On red soils, the plants and 

 rattoons of B 3390 and B 376 averaged 7,474 and 7,235 lbs. of sugar per acre, 

 respectively, as compared with 6,501 from White Transparent. During the 

 period 1905-1909, plants of B 147 and B 1529 yielded 6,551 and 6,451 lbs. of 

 sugar per acre, respectively, as compared with 5,840 from White Transparent. 

 B 6450 and B 1753 proved best in germinative power and freedom from rotten 

 canes. The results with canes grown experimentally on various estates are 

 given in detail in 58 tables. 



Turnip manurial and variety experiments, 1909—10, A. Macpherson {Jour. 

 New Zeal. Dept. Agr., 1 {1910), No. 6, pp. ^06-421, figs. 4).— The author re- 

 ports the results of variety and manurial experiments with turnips. 



Parafield seed wheats, A. E. V. Richardson {Jour. Dept. Agr. So. Aust., 

 14 {1910), No. 5, pp. 416^486, figs. 17). — The author announces that the depart- 

 ment has seed wheat of certain varieties for distribution, and presents photo- 

 graphs of 2 different aspects of the heads of each of 16 varieties. The cultural 

 value, botanical characteristics, cropping power, and resistance to disease or 

 drought are briefly stated in discussion of the several varieties. 



Weed studies, E, Vitek {Manatsh. Landw., 3 (1910), No. 11, pp. 333-344).— 

 This article reports the results of pot experiments with sand, field soil, and clay, 

 with rye, summer wheat, barley, oats, charlock, white radish, corn cockle, corn 

 poppy, corn flower, plantain {Plantago lanceolata), sorrel, and {Rumex aceto- 

 sela). Tables state the amounts of the more important salts present In the soil 

 and the analyses of the different species after 30 and 60 days' growth. 



Studies of the rate of food assimilation in different soils indicated that 

 assimilation during the first 30 days was considerable, but that the weeds 

 excelled the grains in this respect, especially on soils containing a limited supply 

 of plant food. 



HORTICULTURE. 



A manual of horticultural plant breeding, M. Lobneb {Leitfaden fiir 

 gdrtnerische Pflanzenziichtung. Jena, 1909, pp. VII+160, figs. 10). — This is 

 essentially a manual of information for the commercial breeding of new orna- 

 mentals, fruits, and vegetables. 



Part 1 discusses the principles underlying the production of new plants 

 directly from seedling variations and mutations, through long continued selec- 

 tion, crossing, hybridizing, sport variation, and graftage, and from importations. 

 A short descriptive account is also given of the work of the seed breeding sta- 

 tion at Svalof, Sweden. Part 2 deals specifically with the progress which has 

 been made, including methods, in the development of various new flowers, 

 shrubs, fruits, and vegetables, together with suggestions for further improve- 

 ment by breeding and the naming and introduction of novelties. 



A new method of preserving flower pollen in a viable condition, J. Simon 

 {Gartenwelt, 15 {1911), No. 7, pp. 94, 95). — ^As a result of his investigations 

 on the longevity of pollen of various plants, the author concludes that dryness of 

 the atmosphere is an important factor in preserving the pollen. By the use 

 of water-free calcium chlorid in sealed vessels to absorb the humidity of the 

 inclosed air, pollen grains of the pumpkin were preserved for 5 weeks in a 

 viable condition and fresh pollen of Rhododendron kohinoor for 13 weeks. 



The author recommends the use of the following method in preserving pollen 

 from various plants : The pollen is collected in a glass vessel from 4 to 5 cm. 

 deep and 0.5 cm. wide and the mouth loosely plugged with wadding. In a vessel 



