NOTES AND ABSTEACTS. 



763 



on each peduncle ; the seeds are used for making chaplets of beads, 

 bracelets and necklaces for ladies and girls ; the Indians of Java eat the 

 cooked leaves ; the flowers are much sought after by bees. 



Under cultivation the seeds are sown in clayey soil of calcareous and 

 siliceous nature, and with a permeable subsoil ; 100 parts of this soil 

 contained : nitrogen 0*1, phosphoric anhydride 0*05, potash 0*4. The soil 

 was previously prepared by digging, but was not manured. In August 

 the plants had attained the height of 2-50 m. and presented the appear- 

 ance of a dense wood. They flowered in September. A hectare of 

 ground yields 5 cwt. of seed and about 6 cwt. of straw for beasts. The 

 oil is easily obtained by pressure from the seed, the remainder being 

 given to animals. 



The oil is fixed, not volatile, of a light cedar-yellow ; the taste is not 

 strong, reminding one of Cucumber, and it has a slight scent of fresh 

 Walnuts. It freezes at +14° C. and becomes quite solid at +10° C. It 

 is scarcely soluble in absolute alcohol, and insoluble in 95 per cent, alcohol. 

 It dissolves easily in amyl alcohol, ether, benzine, carbon bisulphide, 

 chloroform, and the essential oils. When boiled with a solution of soda 

 it forms soap. 



The characteristic effects of treatment with nitric acid are also given. 



W. C. W. 



Carnations, Fragrant. By A. Hemsley (Garden, No. 1720, p. 315, 

 5/11/1904). — There are many scented Carnations still in cultivation, 

 but it is no doubt a fact that many of the newer varieties have little 

 or no scent. This especially applies to scarlets and yellows of the smooth- 

 edged type. In fact, there are very few yellows with perfume. The old 

 Andalusia, pale yellow, with fringed petals, was scented, but this variety 

 seems to have gone out of cultivation. ' Mrs. Audrey Campbell ' is slightly 

 scented. We get the most powerful scent in the crimsons. The old 

 crimson Clove is still the most powerfully scented. ' Uriah Pike ' has a 

 very pleasant perfume, and 1 Countess of Warwick ' is also a good free- 

 flowering variety with a pleasant Clove scent. 'H. J. Jones,' a fine 

 crimson, which appears to be a hybrid between the old Clove and the 

 Malmaison type, has a strong scent. All the true Malmaisons are fragrant, 

 and this is perhaps their greatest charm. — E. T. G. 



Carnations, Layering-. By A. H. (Garden, No. 1703, p. 33, 

 9/7 /1904). — More Carnations are probably lost from neglect to layer them 

 at the proper time than from all other causes put together. It is most 

 important that a fresh stock of all good garden Carnations be annually 

 obtained, as a young, well-rooted layer planted early will stand severe 

 weather that would kill an old plant, whose gouty, woody stems were 

 lying upon the surface of the soil exposed to all extremes of weather. 

 Early layering should be the rule, as the shoots put down in July are by 

 the end of August well rooted, and can be planted out in September if 

 desired, or left upon the plants till later, as they will gain in strength 

 and take no harm. It is not wise to attempt layering till the shoots 

 are of sufficient length, strength, and solidity, but generally they will be 

 found quite fit for layering by the middle or end of July, when an effort 



