NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



785 



ever have to encounter in Arizona or Salton Basin during the dormant 

 season. 



Facile princeps among Saharan dates which include all the choicest 

 varieties, is the famous "Deglet Noor," and taking the ripening of this, 

 a late and tender sort, as the supreme test of climate, we find by tables 

 that the mean daily temperature has in no hitherto recorded season at 

 Salton Basin fallen below what has been proved to be high enough for the 

 perfect ripening of the Deglet Noor ; and the rainfall both there and in the 

 Salt River Valley is less during the flowering and ripening seasons, when 

 it is liable to have disastrous consequences, than at Biskra, in Algeria 

 where date culture is an established industry. 



The available supply of irrigating water is also as ample, and certainly 

 purer than that supplied to the Persian Gulf groves. This bulletin gives 

 a complete life-history of the Date Palm and many careful soil analyses 

 of home and Saharan soils, is profusely illustrated, and provided with an 

 excellent index. — M. L. H. 



Dates, Persian Gulf, and their Introduction into America. 



By David G. Fairchild (U.S.A. Dep. Agr. Bur. PI. hid., Bull. No. 54, 1903 ; 

 plates). — Contains an account of a journey to the Date Palm groves along 

 the Persian Gulf, undertaken with the view of procuring specimens for 

 introduction into Arizona. Palms had been raised in America from the 

 seeds of imported fruit, and proved to bear excellent Dates, which ripened 

 earlier than those of the earlier-planted North African varieties. There- 

 fore, as the bulk of the Dates sold in American markets comes from the 

 Persian Gulf, it was thought that other superior varieties might be found 

 there which, on account of their early ripening, would be peculiarly suited 

 to the short hot seasons in Arizona. The stickiness of the Mesopotamian 

 Date is a certain disadvantage to it as compared with the North African 

 fruit, but it was thought possible that there might still be Persian Gulf 

 Dates to be found which should be free from this defect. The writer does 

 not pretend that he was able to make his account absolutely exhaustive, 

 but he puts together a great deal of information on the region in general, 

 on its climate, soil, and system of irrigation, on the local varieties of Date, 

 on the native methods of cultivation, and on Date diseases, packing, ship- 

 ping, and on the cost and profit of Date culture. — M. L. H. 



Dendrobium bellatulum. By R. A. Rolfe (Orch. Bev. vol. xii. 

 p. 135). — The original discovery and descriptive characteristics are given 

 of this Dendrobium. It belongs to the T>. formosum group. Native 

 of China. Nat. ord. Orchidaccce ; tribe Epidendrece-. A densely tufted 

 plant, 2 to 4 inches high. Flowers axillary, 1$ to 2 inches diam., white 

 with a vermilion lip. — H. J. C. 



Dendrobium cymbidioides and D. triflorum. By R. A. Rolfe 

 (Orch. Bev. xii. p. 69). — Historical and distinguishing descriptions are 

 fully entered upon. — H. J. C. 



Dendrobium ling-uiforme. By R. A. Rolfe (Orch. Bev. vol. xii. 

 p. 137 ; fig.). — The introduction, description, and historical particulars are 

 given. — H. J. C. 



F F 



