Eee General Notes. [ January, 
did not bear, by simply picking off the fruit buds in the bearing 
years. His neighbors could never understand how he was en- 
abled to raise a fair crop each year, until finally the secret became 
known. This mode of artificial selection is quite new to us, and 
we would like to know if it has ever been practiced before in 
orchards. 
In connection with this subject I am told by Mr. John Sears, of 
Danvers, Mass., that in old orchards deep ploughing, by which 
the roots are often torn’and broken, carried on in the “ even” 
years, will cause the young apples to fall off, so that they will 
bear the next year. Also picking off the apples on the young 
trees in the “even” years will cause the trees to produce in the 
“off” years. Still, adds Mr. Sears, none of these processes are 
perfectly sure—A. S. Packard, Fr. 
BotanicaL News.—The following articles appear in the Annales 
des Sciences Naturelles, for September 1877. J. Vesque, on the 
absorption of water by roots in its relation to transpiration. Soro- 
kine, On the structure of Crocysporium torulosum (a microscopic 
fungus). J. Wiesner, Researches in regard to the influence of 
light and radiant heat upon transpiration in plants. Deheran, A 
notice of the preceding memoir. Van Tighem, On the digestion 
of albumen. Fischer de Waldheim, On Ustilagineæ and their 
hosts. 
Flora, No. 23, contains the following papers: W. Nylander, 
Remarks concerning gonidia and their different forms; No. 24, 
A. Wigand, On horn-prosenchyma ; No. 25, Hugo de Vries, Con- 
cerning longitudinal epinastic (elongation of the internal surface 
of an organ); F. Arnold, The Musci of the French Jura; No. 26, — 
z H. Christ, Roses observed in 1876, de Thümen, South Afri- 
n Fungi; No. 27, Schulzer, Concerning certain Fungi; No. | 
28, Robert Caspary, Life of Alexander Braun. d 
Botanische Zeitung, No. 39, Dr. O. Drude, Selected examples to | 
explain the formation of fruit in Palmee ‘(continued and illus- | 
trated by plates in No. 40); No. 40, Prof. J. Baranetsky, On dr g 
urnal periodicity in the growth of internodes in length; Oudemans, 
Notices respecting certain Boleti. Many critical notes by the 
editors conclude the number. No. 41, eat and aie q 
On oen granulatum (continued in No. . NO: Dr. 3 
= Karl Goebel, History of the at com of the Prothallium of 
Gymnogramme leptophylla, Desv ‘ 
_ A Botanical Section of the Peabody Academy of Science, Salem, — 
consisting of about twenty members living in Salem and adjoining — 
towns, has lately been formed there, bi-monthly meetings having _ 
been held. Dr.G.A. Perkins is Chairman, and Miss L. H. Upton, | 
Secretary. 4 
iG The nature of the Spermatia is discussed by G. Murray, in Tri- _ 
men’s Fournal of Botany, for October. 
TR Oe ER SO Eee ee ee E AY eae E 
