BOBTIOULTUBE. 665 



Small fruits and grapes, ( '. A. Kbppeb I Tennesset Sta. Bui., Vol. XVIII, N 

 pp. 18-21, figs. 7) . — Popular directions are given for the culture of strawberries, rasp- 

 berries, blackberries, and grapes, based on the results of experimental workal the 



station. 



The two most frost- resistant varieties of strawberries out of 50 tested appear to be 

 Michel Early and ( arrie. Excelsior, Klondike, Pride of Cumberland, Clyde, 1 1 a vet- 

 land,' and Bubach No. 5 were all badly damaged by frost. 



Especially good results have been obtained with raspberries by mulching. The 

 mulch as applied was L8 in. deep and by spring bad settled down to aboui I" in. 

 deep, and extended a fool or more on either side of the row. Raspberries thus 

 treated were much less injured by the cold than unmulched vines, and made over 

 twice the growth of the unmulched plants during the following season. The plants 

 mulched with held bean straw made a better growth than those mulched with lawn 

 rakings. 



With grapes, it was noticed that the severe frost which destroyed all the new 

 shoots in the vineyard after they were \ to 10 in. long resulted in the production of 

 a large amount of "blind " shoots—that is, shoots which 1 ion- no fruit. The amount 

 of fruitful and blind wood on a number of \ ines of 6 varieties counted is tabulated. 



Layering grafted vines; grafting cuttings by approach, F. Charmeus I Jar- 

 din, 19 (1905), No. 486, pp. 120, 121, figs. />. — Layered shoots of European varieties 

 of grapes throw OUl roots which are not resistant to phylloxera. 



The method of Petit-Roch of grafting these layers by approach on either a rooted 

 or nonrooted phylloxera resistant cutting is described. In the case of nonrooted 

 cuttings after the graft is made the lower portion of the cutting is placed in a bottle 

 of water. With rooted cuttings the grafl is tied with raffia and otherwise treated 

 like an ordinary layered vine, being well mounded up with earth. 



The packing of hothouse grapes, V. Charmei \ (Jardin, l'» ( 1905 \, No. 445, pp. 

 260, 261, figs. 6). — The packages used for packing hothouse grapes and methods of 

 packing are illustrated and described. 



Proceedings of the Society for Horticultural Science (Proc. Soc. /fort. Sci., 

 1903-4, ]>p. 108). — This publication of the society contains the papers presented 

 before it at its two animal meetingsin L903 and L904, a summary of winch has been 

 noted elsewhere (E. S. R., 15, p. 538; 16, p. 729). In addition it contains the con- 

 stitution of the society, a list of members, ollicers, etc. 



Okra: Its culture and uses, W. R. Beattie ( U. S. !><[><. Agr., Farmers' Bid. 

 pp. 16, figs. S). — The purpose of this bulletin is to encourage a more general distribu- 

 tion and use of okra or gumbo | Hibiscus esculentus) by giving cultural hints, descrip- 

 tions of a few of the leading varieties, and directions as to cooking. 



Hop sprouts as vegetables, (i.W. Roosevelt (Mo. Consular Rpts. [I'. &], 1905, 

 No. 297, j>. 59).— The author states that young hop sprouts ate extensively used in 

 Brussels as early spring vegetables. The most succulent sprout- are those taken from 

 the foot of the hop plant which has been covered with earth during the winter 

 months. 



Pickles — how to make them, R, Blanche Maddock (Canad. Hort., 98 (1905), 

 No. 10, pp. 879-381). — Directions are given for making cucumber, mustard, ami green 

 tomato pickles, pickled fruits, and for keeping ripe tomatoes over winter. 



Ginseng in China, F. D. Cloud (Mo. Consular Rpts. [ U. &], 1905, No. 997, pp. 

 135-13? ). — Brief descriptions are given of :. Borts of ginseng found in Chinese markets, 

 with the statement that American ginseng is liked in some Chinese cities, while in 

 others the Chinese do not care for it and scarcely buy it at all. 



Culture of mushroom spawn from spores, J. Steinert I Wiener lllus. QarL 

 '/Ay., 30 (1905), No. 7, }y>. 280-282) .—The author describes a successful method 

 adopted by himself for growing mushroom spawn and gives the results of trials in 

 growing mushrooms from such spawn. 



