030 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



Willow Flowers, Abnormal. By J. Velenovsky (Prag) (Bcih. Bot. 

 Cent. xvii. pp. 123-128). — Describes Salix flowers with 2, 8, 4, or 5 

 stamens. Some shrubs flowered in August. In some cases the honey 

 gland was distinctly divided into two elongated lanceolate flat scales. 

 These, it is suggested, correspond to the bracteoles of Juglans and 

 Myrica. A third scale represents a perianth segment, so that the 

 Salicinca may be considered as next allied to Juglandacea and 

 Myricaccoi.—G. F. S.-E. 



Willow Galls. By K. v. Tubeuf (Nat. Zeit. Land-Forst. ii. pp. 330- 

 337 ; 5 figs. ; 1904). — Young twigs of Willow frequently show small galls 

 due to abnormal development of leaf-buds or catkins. In these Tubeuf 

 sees the first stages of the branch gnaurs or galls, which may sometimes be 

 over a foot in diameter. An excellent series of photographs shows the 

 gradation in a striking way. The cause has not been investigated, but 

 mites are suggested. — W. G. S. 



Willow, Insects Injurious to. By F. H. Chittenden (U.S.A. Dep. 

 Agr. Bur. For., Bull. 46; 1904; 17 figs.). — An account is given of a 

 number of the insects affecting the Willows in America. Out of the 

 380 species known to attack these trees the following are the most 

 troublesome and are described: The Willow curculio (Cryptorhynchus 

 lapathi Linn.), the Poplar girdler (Saperda concolor Lee), the bronze 

 Birch-borer (Agrilus anxius Gory.), Willow- shoot saw-fly (Janus integer 

 Nort.),all of which bore the shoots ; the yellow-spotted Willow s\ag(Pteromcs 

 centralis Say.), the Willow saw-fly (Cimbex americana Leach), the Cotton- 

 wood beetle (Melasoma scripta Fab.), the worst enemy of the Basket 

 Willow ; the Willow-leaf beetle (Melasoma lapponica Linn.), the Poplar- 

 leaf beetle (Phytodecta pallida Linn.), many leaf -feeding caterpillars, and 

 several aphides attacking the foliage. The beetle Gracilia minuta Fab., 

 which attacks dried Willows in Europe, is occasionally met with. Means 

 of attacking these pests are mentioned, particularly the periodical flooding 

 of the land, and, as a prevention of attack, the careful cutting of the rods. 



F. J. C. 



Witches' Brooms. (In Nat. Zeit. Land-Forst. vols. ii. and iii. ; 



1904-6.) 



(1) Herr F. Muth (ii. pp. 439-443 ; 4 figs.) describes one of these 

 malformations on Taxodium distichum, probably the first case described 

 for this tree. One figure shows the broom on the tree ; the others give 

 parts of the characteristic tangle of twigs of all sizes, with many un- 

 developed buds. Two fungi, which might be the cause, were found, but 

 the evidence is not conclusive. 



(2) Prof. Tubeuf (ii. p. 296) gives a figure of a broom on Beech, the 

 cause of which is unknown. This we have also seen in Britain. 



(8) Prof. Solereder (iii. pp. 17-23) reproduces a photograph showing 

 three well-marked brooms on Quercus rubra ; cause also unknown. This 

 apper has also a useful summary of the known cases of witches' brooms 

 on trees and shrubs, with the organism which causes them, where it is 

 known. — W. G. S. 



