562 JOUENAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Louse, Pea, the Destructive Green {Nectarophora destructor^ 



Johns). F. H. Chittenden (U.S. Dep. Agric. Circ. No. 43, s.s. pp. 1-8, 

 numerous figures). — The insect is described, and an estimate of the loss 

 caused by its ravages during the year 1899 along the Atlantic Coast States 

 reached the sum of ;^3,000,000. Besides Garden Peas, Sweet Peas, Red 

 and Crimson Clover, Vetches and Tares are also affected. Several parasitic 

 and predaceous insects attack the lice, but do not increase in such numbers 

 as to limit their multiplication. 



The methods of control are : — 



1. Kerosene Soap Evmlsion. — The application of this diluted 

 with twelve parts of water has been found the most effective as an 

 insecticide. 



2. The Brush and Cidtivator Method. — The Peas are grown 

 sufficiently wide apart to admit a one-horse cultivator between them. 

 The lice are then brushed from the plants with boughs of Pine with 

 their leaves on, and a cultivator follows down the rows as soon as 

 possible to destroy the fallen insects. 



3. Brush and Pan Method. — This method consists of jarring the 

 lice from the plants into long shallow pans in which a little paraffin 

 is placed to kill the insects. 



4. Cultural Methods. — The value of early planting is set forth, 

 as also the rotation of crops, avoiding leguminous plants such as 

 Clover and Vetch. 



The winter food-plant is not given, and is apparently unknown. 



R.N. 



Mahonia, a Monograph of the Genus. By F. Fedde {Engl. 

 Bot. Jahrh. xxxi. pp. 30 138, with five figures in the text ; 16/8 ICOl). — 

 An account of the general morphology and anatomy of the genus is 

 followed by a systematic revision. The author recognises thirty-seven 

 species, distributed among four groups. — A. B. R. 



Maine Agr. Exp. Stn., Report (1900).— Fertiliser inspection. 



Investigation on influence of pollen : in Pea, Kidney-bean, Indian Corn, 

 influenced the mother-plant. No relation between amount of pollen 

 produced by a plant and amount rer^uired for fecundation. In Egg-plant, 

 Bean, and Cucumber the ovary developed in absence of pollen, but where 

 pollen withheld, no perfect seeds formed. The amount of pollen influenced 

 the form, size, and quality of fruit. 



Form and size of Tomato fruit directly dependent on amount of 

 pollen, a small amount i-esulting in small and deformed fruit. Experi- 

 ments with Tomatos : Earliness and productiveness are in direct ratio 

 with earliness of setting in the field. Trimming the plants after a part 

 of the fruit had set increased the vield bv more than one-third. Crossing' 

 between small-fruited plants of prolific habit and the ordinary large- 

 fruited type was found to be a promising method of securing a valuable 

 type for localities where the season is short. Eadish. — Large seed was 

 found to produce 30 to 50 per cent, more first-class roots than small seed. 

 Spraying. — Paris green found less injurious than London purple or white 

 arsenic. Most wormy fruits from sprayed trees were entered from the 



