NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



283 



Food of Birds. By L. Florence (Trans. High, and Agric. Soc. 

 Scotland, xxiv., pp. 180-219 ; 1912). — Details of contents of crops 

 and intestines of 616 birds of many species, mostly from North-East 

 Scotland, with a summary for each species of the remains (seeds, 

 insects, &c.) identified. — W. G. S. 



Forcing by Hot Water. By Prof. Hans Molisch (Rev. Hort. Beige, 

 No. 21, p. 333, Nov. 1, 1912). — Another testimony to the efficacy of 

 the hot-bath treatment in forcing flowering plants. It is here said 

 to give excellent results with the following flowering shrubs : — Corylus 

 Avellana, Syringa vulgaris, Forsyth 1 a suspensa, Cornus alba, Ribes 

 Grossularia, Larix decidua, Rhamnus, Frangula, Aesculus, Hippo- 

 castanum, Fraxinus excelsior, &c. 



Success depends on the nature of the plant, the time of the year 

 at which the operation is carried out, on the right duration of the 

 bath, on its correct temperature, and on the more or less dormant 

 state of the plant. — M. L. H. 



Forest Conditions in Louisiana. By J. H. Foster (U.S.A. 

 Dep. Agr., For. Serv., Bull. 114 ; Oct. 22, 1912). — Like many other 

 parts of the American Continent, protection of cut-over lands is the 

 most important forest problem in Louisiana. 



Penalties are provided for setting of forest fires, and railway 

 companies are required to keep their right-of-way cleared of com- 

 bustible materials from November to April. — A. D. W 



Forest Fires : their Causes, Extent and Effects, with a Summary 

 of Recorded Destruction and Loss. By Fred G. Plummer (U.S.A. 

 Dep. Agr., For. Serv., Bull. 117; Oct. 23, 1912). — An interesting 

 account of the causes of forest fires, the vast extent of woods 

 involved, and the statistics of damage and loss arising therefrom. 

 Lightning is the principal cause of forest fires, although many 

 originate from the well-known practice of firing the grass. — A. D. W. 



Forest Tree Seed, Extracting and Cleaning. (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., 

 For. Serv., CzVc. 208 ; Oct. 16, 1912). — An outline of the methods 

 of seed-storing, drying by natural and artificial heat, extracting, 

 cleaning and keeping until required for use. — A. D. W. 



Forestry Area, Experimental, in Wales. By Fraser Story 

 (Trans. Scott. Arbor. Soc, pp. 19-27 ; July 1913). — A useful sum- 

 mary of experimental plantations in Wales. Details are given of the 

 various woods, their progress and enemies. In a summary there is 

 a list of thirty-seven species, showing how many have been planted, 

 with the percentage of deaths ; this is high in the case of Corsican 

 Pine, Pacific Arbor Vitae, Oak, and Lawson's Cypress.— W. G. S. 



Forestry Work, Co-operative. By Edmund Secrest (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn., Ohio, Circ. 119; Dec. 29, 1911).— An excellent idea. The 



