APRIL 25. 1907 | 
NA LORE 
613 
tending being absolute constancy,’’ and an analogy is 
drawn between this law and the perfection of an action 
by repetition or practice. The author believes that both 
laws are of considerable generality, and apply to other 
organisms. 
WritTInG on the anti-opium drug in the Journal of the 
Federated Malay States Museums (December, 1906), Mr. 
L. Wray identifies the plant as Combretum sundaicum, 
and describes the method of making infusion from 
the roasted twigs and leaves. This is mixed with a de- 
coction of burnt opium, and it is possible that the latter 
supplies part of the curative effect. In the same number 
Mr. H. C. Robinson contributes a list of the birds found 
on the Aroa Islands, in the Straits of Malacca. 
an 
REFERENCE is made to a new klinostat—the instrument 
used to counteract the influence of gravity—designed by 
Dr. P. van Harveveld in Recueil des Travaux botaniques 
Néerlandats, vol. iii. The author tested several instru- 
ments by means of an automatic chronograph device, from 
which he concluded that a periodic irregularity could 
always be detected. This is important, since the repeti- 
tion of a very weal: stimulus at regular intervals is 
cumulative, and will in time induce curvature. The 
essential features of the author’s klinostat are that it is 
weight driven, the impulses being suitably moderated, and 
regulation effected by independent 
mechanism. 
is electromagnetic 
In his report for the year 1905, Mr. J. H. Maiden, the 
director of the botanic gardens and public domains, 
Sydney, New South Wales, announces that the changes 
connected with the re-grading of the botanic garden have 
been completed after five years’ work. Reference is made 
to the work of a previous director, Mr. Charles Moore, 
who died during the year. Among the Australian garden 
plants that attracted attention when flowering were 
Thymalium Billardierit, Euroschinus faicatus, and 
Kennedya procurrens, the last being a new introduction 
of New South Wales origin. 
AN article by Mr. R. S. Pearson on the level of sub- 
soil waters with regard to forests is published in the 
Indian Forester (February). Comparing the levels inside 
and outside forests, they are always higher outside; in 
an area of low rainfall the difference of levels is greater 
than where the rainfall is more abundant, and the level 
is steadier inside than outside the forest. These results 
are explained by the facts that the trees intercept a portion 
of the rain water and make a heavier demand on the 
water supply than agricultural crops. Sir Dietrich 
Brandis contributes a note on Mastixia euonymoides, with 
a figure of the stem section, and Mr. B. O. Coventry 
supplies photographs of the Changa Manga plantation in 
the Puniab, showing the cultivation of the shisham tree, 
Dalbergia Sissoo. 
Ir has been shown by Prof. G. Klebs that remarkable 
metamorphoses can be produced in plants by artificial 
methods of cultivation. His latest contribution, that was 
published in the Abhandlungen der naturforschenden 
Gesellschaft, Halle (vol. xxv.), gives some account of the 
results that he obtained. Four species of Sempervivum 
were selected for experiment, because abnormality of struc- 
ture has rarely been recorded for the genus. The method 
consisted in removing the terminal inflorescences from 
plants that had been stimulated by heavy manuring or 
exposure to strong sunlight, when lateral flowers or in- 
florescences showing intense variation were developed. 
NO. 1956, VOL. 75 | 
| 
Irregularities in number and shape of the parts of the 
flower, changes from one part to another, and vegetative 
developments occurred, perhaps the most striking being the 
combination of staminal and carpellary structures. These 
and experiments with Veronica and other 
plants lead the author to the opinion that new races can 
arise as a result of changes in external conditions. 
chamaedrys 
From a second memorandum on the American goose- 
berry mildew (Sphaerotheca mors-uvae), just issued by the 
Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, we learn that during 
the winter of 1906-7 the presence of the mildew in certain 
gardens in Worcestershire was definitely confirmed, and 
the cases investigated under the auspices of the Worcester- 
shire County Council. Reports sent to the Board have 
shown that the extent and seriousness of the disease are 
much greater than was at first supposed, and: in view of 
the increased danger of infection which arises when the 
mildew passes into its summer stage the Board advises 
all gooseberry growers to watch the plants closely during 
the summer months, especially those bushes which have 
been recently bought, in order that the disease may be 
detected and dealt* with at the earliest possible moment. 
Gooseberry growers who have the least reason to suspect 
infection are advised to spray their bushes with a solution 
of liver of sulphur (potassium sulphide) from the time the 
leaves open until the fruit is set. A solution of half an 
ounce to a gallon and a half of water is recommended 
for the first spraying, and the strength should be in- 
creased to a solution of half an ounce to one gallon of 
water at the second spraying. Details as to the examin- 
ation and treatment of plants in order to prevent the 
spread of the disease are given in the Board’s new 
circular, which can be obtained post-free on application. 
Tue Bulletin of the Manila Weather Bureau for August, 
1906, contains a reproduction of what is probably the only 
complete seismogram of the Valparaiso earthquake in 
existence. The distance from the centres of the North 
Pacific and Chilian earthquakes of August 17 was such 
that the disturbance due to the former had practically died 
out before the arrival of the latter; the first preliminary 
tremors commenced at th. 1-3m. Greenwich time, and 
lasted until about rh. 21m. The instrument being a 
Vicentini microseismograph, with a vertical pendulum of 
1-5 metres length, the third-phase waves, which give the 
greatest amplitude with a slow-period horizontal pendulum, 
are of small size, and it is largely due to this that the 
eatlier phases of the record of the Valparaiso shock are so 
little complicated by the end portion of the preceding 
one. 
Tue Geological Survey of Western Australia has issued 
another report (Bulletin No. 24) of the special series deal- 
ing with different mineral fields of the State. The report, 
which covers seventy-nine pages, and the accompanying 
thirteen maps and twenty-six plates, represent the results 
of the work of Mr. C. G. Gibson in the Laverton, Burt- 
ville and Erlistoun auriferous belt, Mt. Margaret Gold- 
field. In Bulletin No. 25 Dr. R. Logan Jack discusses 
the prospects of obtaining artesian water in the Kimberley 
district, Western Australia. He passes in review nine 
distinct areas in which he anticipates more or less success 
in the search for artesian water. 
Tue richness and complexity of its deposits have given 
to mining in the Cobalt district of Canada special interest, 
and much valuable information regarding this new silver- 
mining district is contained in an admirably illustrated 
article by Mr. J. E. Hardman in the Engineering Magazine 
