NOTES OX EECEXT RESEARCH. 



901 



light; the Waterferns, Ceratopteris and 0])hioglossace(e, being, however, 

 exceptional in this respect. Light appears to be necessary for the assimi- 

 lation and digestion of the reserve material. An apparent germination 

 of Moss spores occurs in a strong sugar solution, which is apparently 

 not comparable with a true germination. — G. F. S.-E. 



Tactile Stimulation. 



Tactile Stimulation Phenomena, Observations and Considera- 

 tions on. By W. Rothert {Flora, vol. Ixxxviii. pp. 371-421).— This 

 deals with protoplasmic physiology as shown in mobile Protophytes and 

 Protozoa. — M. H. 



Graft Variation. 



Vine, A New Case of Variation following Mixed Grafting- 



in the. By A. Jurie [Comp. Rend. December 23, 1901). — As a result 

 of mixed grafting, a vine produced hermaphrodite flowers, whereas the 

 stock had previously only produced male flowers. This was attributed to 

 a mixture of the sap of the stock and graft, which produced a common 

 sap of the required nature, which had been previously lacking in both 

 members. This discovery led to other experiments in mixed grafting, 

 with the object of producing phylloxera-resistent varieties, which should 

 at the same time produce early and good fruit. 



One variety of Vine used for the experiment was very susceptible to 

 the phylloxera. Its fruit was late in forming, foxy, and produced many 

 seeds. Examples of this plant were grafted on stocks that produced 

 fruit early and were strongly resistent to phylloxera. The following year 

 these plants produced beautiful fruit without a trace of foxy taste, ripe 

 on August 15, whereas the fruit of the grafted variety were still young. 

 All the examples grafted showed the same line of variation indicated. 



Other experiments, with plants specially susceptible to chlorosis and 

 phylloxera respectively, proved that grafting on stocks known to be 

 specially resistent to these diseases resulted in the immunity of the 

 plants, considered by the author to be due to the production of a 

 common sap furnished respectively by stock and scion. 



The author concludes as follows : — The specific variation observed by 

 M. Daniel, produced by grafting, in herbaceous and certain woody plants, 

 exists also in the grafting of the Vine, which is contrary to the general 

 opinion. This variation bears on sexuality, precocity, and resistance to 

 external agents, and can be augmented or diminished according to the 

 predominance of this or that series, and results from the coalescence of 

 vegetative cells. This realisation of experiments opens up a new field 

 which will doubtless render the greatest service to viticulture. — G. J\I. 



