HOETICULTUKE. 249 



pp. S04, 305) . — This is an abstract of a paper read l)y the author at the Paris Horti- 

 cuhural Congress, May 22, 1903. It presents residts of a prehniinary study on the 

 germination of seeds. The author states that in the majority of eases fresh seeds 

 give the best results, but with the following exceptions: With carrots, 2-year-old 

 seed gives less leafy plants and more highly colored roots. The use of 3 or 4 year 

 old chicory seed tends to prevent premature greening. With cabbage, the use of 2 

 or 3 year old seed tends to produce better heads than fresh seed. With gherkins, 

 pumpkins, and melons, seed 2 or 3 years old is preferred ; fresh seed produces too leafy 

 vegetation. Likewise corn salad seed 2 or 3 years old is preferred to fresh seed. 

 With radishes, fresh seed is preferred for outdoor soil, since it produces more rol^ust 

 plants, but seed 2 or 3 years old is preferred under glass because it produces a less 

 leafy product. 



Commenting on these results, M. Bazin stated that fresh seeds should always be 

 preferred when it is wished to produce plants with a strong leaf growth, while for 

 plants which it is desired should head well, like cabbage, salads, melons, cucumbers, 

 etc., it is preferable to use seeds 2 to 3 years old. With ornamental plants, particu- 

 larly with balsams, seed more than a year old tends to produce double flowers to a 

 much greater extent than fresh seed. 



Three new plant introductions from Japan, D. G. Fairchild ( U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Bureau of I'lant Industry Bui. 4^, pp. 24, }>ls. 6). — The 3 new plant introductions 

 discussed in this bulletin are Mitsumata, a Japanese paper plant; Udo, a new winter 

 salad; and Wasabi, a kind of horse-radish. These various i)lants are described and 

 their culture, as observed in Jaj^an and the jilaces in the United States where each is 

 likely to succeed, are noted. From Mitsumata {Edgeworthia pctpyrifera) a superior 

 kind of paper is made. The plant grows about 5 ft. high, and the paper is made from 

 the bark. Udo {Aralla cordata) is grown in a manner somewhat similar to asparagus. 

 The edible portions of the plant are the young shoots which are blanched by being 

 covered with earth, and are available for use the second year from seed and for a 

 series of years thereafter. It is not expected that this salad j^lant will compete with 

 lettuce, but it is believed that it will make a very desirable winter change. AVasabi 

 {Eutrema wasabi) is propagated from suckers and grown 2 years in the field before 

 being marketed. It is considered a very appetizing relish. 



Plant introduction notes from South Africa, D. G. Fairchild ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bureau of Plant Industry Bui. 25, pp. 13-22). — These notes consist of brief accounts of 

 3 Cape seedling grape varieties — the Eed Hanepoot grape, Vitis rupestris metaUica, 

 and the Le Roux grape; two fruit-bearing hedge plants — Carissa grandiflora and (/. 

 arduina, commonly called amatungulas; Rhodes grass {Chloris tirgata) , the Kafir 

 plum, and the Natal pineapple. Attention is called in connection with these notes 

 to the rooi-l>loem, a new corn parasite which is causing damage in the South African 

 corn fields. 



Experiments in mulching, R. A. Emekson {Nebraska Sta. Bui. SO, pp. 2il).^ 

 Coini)arative records are given of the yield and behavior of lettuce, cabbage, toma- 

 toes, peas, beans, cucumbers, watermelons, muskmelons, sweet corn, beets, salsify, 

 carrots, jiarsnips, onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes when grown on jilats kejit 

 cultivated throughout the season and on plats muk-hed with straw. The work has 

 l^een under way for the 3 seasons 1900-1902. Irrigation was practiced on a portion 

 of each plat in the dry year of 1901. In 1902 the comparison was made on both 

 bottom land and upland. The mulch used for the most part was old straw applied 

 about 4 in. deep after settling. Generally it was put on about a month after the 

 seed was sown and after the plants had received 2 or 3 cultivations. A si)ecial test 

 is reported of different kinds and depths of mulches for potatoes. 



Mulching proved of doubtful value with lettuce. It was difficult to api)l\- the 

 mulch without injury to the tender plants, thus decreasing the stand, and in only 1 

 year out of the 3 was the size of the head larger on the nmlched than on the culti- 

 vated area. 



