476 



Prof. H. E. Armstrong and others. [Nov. 23, 



(d) L. tenuis, Waldst and Kit. — Slender and more branched than the common form, 

 with very narrow leaflets. In poor pastures and grassy places, chiefly in South-eastern 

 Europe ; rare in Britain, always running much into the common form. L. decumbens, 

 Forst. 



We have not had an opportunity of testing varieties b and c but have 

 found what we believe to be the variety distinguished as tenuis in the Isle of 

 Wight. This has proved to be particularly rich in cyanide. 



At times we have thought that size of leaf and degree of hairiness were in 

 some way correlated with the occurrence of cyanide but this has not proved 

 to be the case. There is, however, very little doubt that, as a rule, the 

 dwarf forms are richer in cyanide and that luxuriance of growth favours the 

 disappearance of cyanide. 



During August this year one of us has had the opportunity of testing the 

 plant in many places in Norway in the Bergen and the Christiania districts. 

 It was found growing in profusion on the Island of Holsenoe off Bergen, at 

 Yoss on the lake shore and on banks at the roadside, at Os in grass and on 

 the roadside near Norheiinsund. It was rampant on the moraines at the foot 

 of the Boium and Suphelle glaciers at Fjaerland (Sogne-fjord) and on the 

 Buer glacier at Odda (Hardanger-fjord). Specimens were also secured at 

 Notodden, at Tinnoset and at Eidvos. Dr. Solberg of the Statens Kemiske 

 Kontrolstation at Trondhjem was so kind as to send us a specimen picked 

 at Charlottenlund near Trondhjem. In no single case could cyanide be 

 detected in the Norwegian plant. Of four specimens tested for enzyme, 

 only two contained an appreciable amount and neither came up to the 

 average English plant in activity. 



This result appears to us to be very remarkable, especially when the opinion 

 is taken into account which prevails among botanists that both colour and 

 odour are more highly developed in northern regions where light is active 

 during a greater number of hours than it is in our British region.* 



Having given most careful attention to the condition of vegetation 

 generally in Norway during August this year, the opinion one of us formed 

 was that the condition everywhere was distinctly and definitely one of 

 relative immaturity and somewhat exuberant growth wherever the circum- 

 stances were such as to favour growth. This was particularly noticeable in 

 red currants and raspberries. These fruits, it is well known, grow to a far 

 larger size in Norway than here but they lack the character of English-grown 

 fruit - they appear to be less acid, less sweet, less flavoured and far more 

 " watery." The final impression left was that the conditions in Norway are 



* The argument is also applied to Alpine plants (c f. R. R. C. Nevill, ' Journal of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society,' October, 1911, vol. 37, p. 77). 



