ABSTRACTS. 



533 



Berberis. By G. Gordon (Gard. Mag. 2,502, p. 659 ; 12/10/1901). 



— A descriptive account of the best species and varieties of Berberis, 

 evergreen and deciduous, for general cultivation. Illustrations are given 

 of B. stenophylla and B. Darivini, as grown in large, unpruned masses. 



W.G, 



Bertholetia excelsa, Germination of. By W. Watson {Ann. 



Bot. vol. XV. No. Ivii. p. 99). — The seeds of this tree are the Brazil-nuts 

 of commerce. They are contained in a fruit with walls so hard that a 

 sharp saw can only with difficulty cut through them. Moreover, the fruit 

 when ripe is sealed, and how the seeds germinated and produced the 

 tree has been the subject of several hypotheses. The author explains 

 what happened at Kew, and shows by means of photographs what the 

 struggle for existence must be, and how the strongest, or most favourably 

 placed, must finally succeed. The seeds germinate in the closed fruit, 

 and by-and-by the stems struggle out at the exit made by the loosening 

 of the plug at the top. — R. I. L. 



Beschcorneria Wrigrhtii, J.D.H. By Sir J. D. Hooker (Bot. Mafj. 

 tab. ind). — Nat. ord Amaryllidece ; tribe Agavece. The native country 

 is unknown, though the genus is mostly native in Mexico. Flowered at 

 Kew 1900. Leaves 4 to 5 feet long, long-pointed. Panicle of fascicled 

 flowers, with green tube about 1 inch long, and yellow lobes. — G. H. 



Birds of Farm and Garden. By Helen A. Ball {U.S.A. St. Bd., 

 BJiode Is., Ann. BejJ. 1899 ; illustrated). — In this interesting pamphlet 

 the authoress gives a pleasant account of the various birds that assist the 

 farmer, some by devouring insects, others by feeding on the seeds of 

 weeds. Amongst the former the most assiduous are the chickadees, the 

 dow^ny and hairy woodpeckers, and the nuthatch. 



The first attacks the canker-worm and the larvae of the codlin moth. 

 The nuthatch opens nuts for the sake of the worm therein, rather than the 

 kernel, and the woodpeckers destroy the larvae of borers, wood ants, <tc. 



The junco, the tree-sparrow (or winter chippy), and the goldfinch live 

 chiefly on weed-seeds, thus lessening the next year's crop. The common 

 crow, the blue jay, and the northern shrike, or butcher-bird, all eat mice, 

 beetles, and harmful insects. 



Hawks and owls are very useful in eating mice. 



Birds should be encouraged as far as possible, and if fed, to some 

 extent artificially, in very severe weather, will often repay this hospitality 

 by clearing fruit-trees of a large number of dormant pests. 



Wild fruit-bearing plants and bushes could be grown round about 

 gardens, when much cultivated fruit would be spared. 



A basin or pan of water in some convenient place is also recommended, 

 for it is said that birds often eat succulent garden fruit from a desire to 

 quench their thirst ; this, however, is amongst things very doubtful. 



C. IL C. 



Brodiaea crocea. By J. G. Baker {Gard. Chroii. No. 764. 

 p. 126, fig. 39; 17/8/1901).— This pretty little plant has been imported 

 from California, and is now figured for the first time. It has an umbel cf 



