256 THE FLORIST AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



are in great abundance, to prevent the proper aeration of the juices, which 

 in consequence, return in an unhealthy condition, and are unable to supply 

 the exigencies of the fruit, which very naturally contracts disease, and ulti- 

 mately decays. The cells of which the warts are composed contain only a 

 few scattered grains of chiorophyl, and have apparently a very low degree 

 of vitality, so that they soon become brown, and thus cause the spotted ap- 

 pearance which defaces the beauty of the foliage. It is not pretended that 

 the spots upon the berries themselves are at all of the same nature as those 

 upon the leaves, but rather that they are due to natural decay induced by 

 the depraved state of the juices arising from the disease, which is so evident 

 upon the foliage. 



The spot in Geranium is, we doubt not, a case of quite a similar charac- 

 ter, though we have not at present accurately compared the two maladies, 

 and the disease so prevalent in pear leaves may belong to the same category, 

 though it is often accompanied by a minute Acarus ; for it is possible that 

 the Acarus may simply take up his abode in the pustules and not be charge- 

 able with their first origin. It is not asserted to what particular condition 

 of the roots the evil may be due, whether to the former drought which 

 caused many of the roots to perish, or to the subsequent ill-drained condi- 

 tion of the soil when charged with water, or to marked alternations of 

 drought and moisture ; but now that the probable origin of the evil has been 

 pointed out, it would, perhaps, not be difficult, where there are sufficient op- 

 portunities of making experiments, to acquire some certain information on 

 the subject. — M. J. B., in Grardeners Chronicle. 



CASSIN'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA, &c. 



Perhaps the most beautifully gotten up book at present in course of publi- 

 cation in this country, is, the Birds of California, Texas and New Mexico ; 

 by our valued friend and contributor, John Cassin, Esq., of this city. It 

 corresponds in size with Audubon's 8vo. edition of the Birds of America, to 

 which this may serve as a supplement. The plates, lithographed and colored 

 by Mr. J. T. Bowen, are exceedingly well done ; and in many of the plates, 

 plants of the region inhabited by the birds figured are represented. In the 

 last number, Zauschneria californica and Nemophila insignis are well given. 

 It is published in numbers at one dollar each, by Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 

 of this city. The work will be completed in about thirty numbers. 



