FRUIT GROWING 977 



duction of manna (i), which it exports to all parts of the world. Tuscany 

 and the province of Verona produce the best qualities of iris [Iris fiorentina 

 L., /. germanica L-, and /. pallida l^?.mk.). vSome time ago, i. e. before the 

 appearance on the market of Russian liquorice (probably Glycyrrhiza nra- 

 lensis Fisch.) and liquorice juice prepared in a factory near Tiflis, the most 

 important liquorice-growing countries {G. glabra L. and G. echinata ly.) 

 were Italy and Spain. The Italian liquorice plant is chieflj^ used for the 

 extraction of the liquorice juice, which is exported throughout the world. 



Many plants rich in alkaloids and glucosides find suitable conditions for 

 their growth in Italy ; these are principally belladonna, henbane, stramonium 

 aconite and digitalis. The Italian belladonna, especially that of the Abruzzi, 

 is excellent, but its production is not sufficient for home consumption ; the 

 same applies to henbane and stramonium. In Brianza, at Brunate, Civiglio 

 and their environs (province of Como), there are fields where digitalis is 

 chiefl\ grown for pharmaceutical purposes. In Sardinia, chiefly in the fo- 

 rests cf OrtoBeue, beyond Nuoro (province of Sassari), large quantities are 

 found wild, but are rarel}^ harvested. Cultivation of the opium poppy {Pa- 

 paver somniferum 1,. var. album) has long been carried on successfully in 

 Sicily. The castor oil plant is extensively grown in Italy, especially in Ve- 

 netia, but a considerable quantity of seeds cf this plant is imported. In 

 1914 such imports amounted to 191 127 cwt worth £120401 (as against 

 217 581 cwt worth £139 192 in 1913). The exportation of 'castor oil was 

 4954 cwt worth £ 12 949 in 1914 (against 10 442 cwt worth £ ig 520 in 1913). 



As regards saffron {Crocus sativits L.), Italy exports it to the value of 

 about £ 8 000 per year, but imports from Spain 80 to 90 cwt per year 

 of a value cf about £ 20 000. The competition of Spanish saffron with that 

 of Aquila was greatly assisted by the standard packing in small sacks of 

 4.4 lbs. leadsealed and guaranteed, which contain the pure stigmas. 



Finally, the Author advises that in addition to trials of alces and opium 

 popp3' cultivation in Italy, the growing of Spanish camomile, hydrastis and 

 camphor should be begun. 



758 - Bridge Grafting of Fruit Trees. — Fletcher W. F., in U. S. Department of Agricul- ^^^" 



tiire, Fanners' Bulletin No. 710, 8 pp., 7 fig. Washington D. C, February 21, 1916. GROttTNG 



For the treatment of trees that have been girdled round the base of the 

 trunk by injuries due to quadrupeds, parasitic insects, or mechanical 

 agents, the writer advices " bridge grafting ", made by using scions or 

 small limbs to connect the two portions of the bark of a stock which have 

 been separated by injury, the ends of the scions uniting with the uninjur- 

 ed parts above and below the wounds. The accompanying illustrations 

 indicate the way in which the combinations of these scions form bridges 

 of bark over the previously exposed part of the wood, the plant consequent- 

 ly continuing a healthy life. 



When the girdle of bark removed from the trunk is too wide to permit 

 of the above grafting, yotmg plants of the same species are transplanted 



(i) See i;;. June 1915, No. 612. (Ed.) 



