736 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[Jone 15, 1895, 
feel some astonishment at the report just pre- 
sented to the Board of Agriculture by Mr. P. G. 
Craigie. To our own readers the subject will 
be more familiar, as we have from time to time 
called attention to it; 3 the Sibthorpian Pro- 
fessor, Mr. Warington, dealt with it in his 
introductory lecture at Oxford not long since. 
Now that we have a definite statistical statement 
from a well-known expert, we may hope the 
lesson will be taken to heart Mr. Craigie visited 
the States in the autumn of 1893, to inquire, 
amongst other things, into the organisation of 
the officially-aided experiment stations in the 
various States de Union. The result 
of his inquiries is detailed in the report before 
us, which may be had for 4d. from Messrs, Eyre 
& Spottiswoode, East Harding Street, Fleet 
Street, London. We cannot enter into detail 
here, but we may allude to a few prominent 
points. Thereare, it appears,more than threescore 
collegiate institutions wholly or partly engaged 
in agricultural teaching. These institutions are 
supported by Government grants and grants 
from the several States, supplemented by the 
viduals, or earned by the sale of produce. One 
thousand one hundred and fifty-nine teachers are 
employed. 
In addition to these leading colleges, there are 
fifty-four experiment stations, also supported by 
the State. e staff at these stations varies 
from three in Alabama to sixteen at Cornell, 
and seventeen at Michigan. The total number 
of officials is 491, including | 115 chemists, 59 
ma 
botanis 
duty of these stations is defined t 
experiments on the physiology of 
plants and animals, their diseases and remedies ; 
the chemical composition of useful plants, com- 
parative advantages of rotation of crops, the 
acclimatisation of new varieties of plants and 
trees, analyses of soil and water, manurial expe- 
riments and analyses, feeding and dairy problems, 
and so forth.” It is admitted that there has 
been an occasional tendency to superficiality of 
treatment, and to other defects attributable to in- 
experience, and to the condition that Bulletins are 
required to be published at regular intervals, 
The desire to publish results is, of course 
natural enough, but it is ind that hasty 
generalisation is likely to be fostered by such a 
system. This does not, of course, apply to those 
ulletins which are intended to supply culti- 
vators with information on certain ts. 
To give an idea of the “lines of work” at 
these stations, we may say that horticulture is 
credited with 183 “ enquiries,” including vege- 
tables, 41; small fruits, 42; Grapes, 42; orchard 
pny 43 ; nuts, 15. Matters 
ss number 
which were made the subject of investiga. 
tion at the various stations in theyear 1892. The 
experiment station record for 1892 contains 970 
pages, in which the information given in 17,514 
pages of bulletins and reports is con T 
subjects upon which information was publish-d 
circulated were crops and cropping 209, 
8 and bee- culture 89, soils 41, chemi 
30, besides matters of purely agricultural interest 
which we do not cite. A central office at Wash- 
supervises and co-ordinates the work done 
by the local institutions. 
g with generalities, to a few of 
which we have alluded, Mr. Craigie goes on to 
give full details of various colleges which he 
visited, beginniag with Cornell 5 where 
a university training is given, followed by the 
conferring o? the degrees of Bachelor or Master 
of Agriculture. 
This institution owes its origin to the dona- 
tion Esra Cornell of £100,000 in 
money and of 200 acres of land. The proceeds are 
supplemented by State aid, so that the instruc- 
tion given to the students is practically free! a 
small sum only NN paid for the use of appa- 
ratus and materi The re; agree 1 N 
four years, during t the lest two of h the 
P 
“Pe week; entom ology, 
wo in hortioaltre, 
; e spent in 
practical work in the 5 4 forcing- 
houses, or — 
(To be continued.) 
NEW OR NOTEWORTHY PLANTS. 
BRACHTGLOTTIS REPANDA,* 
e tree, or low shrub, abundant 
gireaghioat the New Zealand forests, The branches 
(we quote from Sir Joseph Hooker) are like the 
“ petioles, lower surface of the leaves, and inflores- 
cence, d with soft white cottony 
eg The leaves are very sn 6 to 12 
hes long, very broadly ovate-oblong, or acs 
oblong, irregularly lobed or waved along the ; 
membranous, dee wender petioles 1 
long ; pedun ncles sm, a 
habit is unlike that of Senecio, to which overloaded 
genus the plant was first allotted. 
The specimens from which our illustration (fig. 110) 
was taken were obligingly communicated by Mr. Gum- 
dleton, who received them from Tresco, Scilly Islands. 
Nothing of smaller size than elephant-folio could do 
jastice to the noble foliage and striking appearance 
of the plant. The contrast between the dark shining 
green of the upper-surface of the leaf, and 2 soft, 
dense, white, velvety tomentum beneath, very 
remarkable. Judging by the perfectly en 
appearance of the leaves and inflorescence, w 
in the case of the underside of the leaves, were 
encrusted with sea-salt, it should prove a capi 
plant for seaside planting in the milder parts of the 
M. 
BOOK c NOTICE, 
THE ELEMENTS OF BOTANY. (By Francis Darwin. 
Cambridge University Press.) 
ain p 
h most stri 
te them. In this manner the prin- 
enomena of plant life are studied in associa- 
veniently illustra 
cipal phe 
of the plants. In the appendix i is given the substance 
teen practical demonstrations, by the aid of 
which the student works out for himself the details 
didactically taught i in the * — or by reading 
the book. Des pi e obvious omissions neces- 
sitated, perhaps, by the requirements cf the examina- 
tion this is a very luc action to 
botany, and one scans Y really covers the ground much 
of the ee treatises fro 
atudy of which the the —— gets up with a fair know- 
ledge of a few points, but with no e knowledge 
of —. or appreciation of ita rc 
Sen., 93; 
d 163; — Forsterii, 3 Ta: Z, 1 85 
ooo 
PLANT NOTES, 
ORIENTAL POPPIES, 
Ir is not saying too much to 5 $ that Papaver 
bracteatum is one of the dest herbaceous 
perennial plants in 9 — puny plants 
as one sees here and there in gardens do not do the 
plant justice, for if N to i late in the year or 
too shallow, or if the plant is quite young, it may 
prove disappointing. But a large clump or a row 
ee sight in a flower-border. I have a clump— 
wo clumps, in fact—planted four or five years 
an herbaceo 
8 
50 yards away, the blaze of colour from these clumps 
so dazzled one’s eyes that, saving a clump or two 
of sweet Rocket near them, nothing else could be 
8 
ue P, bracteatum has a stout hairy stem, rising 
1 foot A the ee and the flower is of a dark 
— 
O 
* 
— 
a 
25 
p 
i=) 
E 
in winter, they are sure to bloom profusely when 
three years old; and when five or six, the amount of 
b 
y 
loom is marvellous in quantity. 4. H. 
Two Harpy ree 
A month ago there was a strong plant of C. parvi- 
florum in bloom here, with sixteen Prt out at the 
same time, Now C. spectabile is oop out, and 
will have thirteen flowers, Both 
through the late severe winter wuki any n 
tion, so there can be no question about their 
ardiness, 
AKEBIA QUINATA, 
This is a luxuriant climber when planted against 
a warm wall in a sheltered garden. It is growing at 
Bishopsteignton, and flowers freely every year. The 
blooms are of singular shape, and form clusters of & 
deep plum colour. 
EMBOTHRIUM COCCINEU 
This is well named the Flame 2 e the colour 
of the flowers is most peculiar ; it may perhaps be 
best described as orange-crimson, with a strong 
admixture of 9 is h 
and Cornwall when scr 
tree only 8 feet high is a blaze of colour, whichis 
visible a long way off, and is mh like that of 
Papaver bracteatum. I had the curiosity to 
the number of trusses and flowers ‘a ou little tree; 
twenty: 
there were 58 trusses, and from seventeen to 
seven flowers in each truss, 
ARISTOLOCHIA LONGA, 
This hardy perennial is a native of northern tals 
and is worth growing on account singalat 
blooms, which are 3 It is liable t0 
ramble, having very long roots. ws 
feet high, 
CACCINIA GLAUCA, 
This plant has e very singular aspect, every part : l 
being pale glancouk 
of Echium in shape. The lea 
serrate, nearly sessile, 
io on the ground 
fleshy, from 2 to 3 feet long, and big on 5 
weight. 
for half their length, fr 
om half 175 
flowers are on short branches from the upper a 
RT 
— i 
N 
