306 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



virescens is a singular flower, marked and shaded with green on the 

 exterior. Of other snowdrops the best known is G. Elwesii, the giant 

 snowdrop of Asia Minor. It is variable, and some forms are inferior. 

 The varieties Cassaba, unguiculatus, and Whittalli are the best. G. 

 plicatus, the Crimean snowdrop, is an old occupant of British gardens 

 and is easily recognized by the leaves being plicate or folded back at 

 the margins. It is handsome, and its best varieties are the Straffan one 

 and G. p. Fraseri. Hybrids between this and G. nivalis have been 

 raised. G. Ikariae, with broad green leaves and fine flowers, is 

 handsome, and recommended in place of G. latifolia, another green- 

 leaved species. 



Autumn-flowering Snowdrops. — Some of these are delicate, and 

 the author has found they have all shown a tendency to come into line 

 with the ordinary one in time of flowering, though this is not the 

 experience of all. G. cilicius, though later than some, is the most 

 reliable ; but G. octobrensis, G. corcyrensis, and G. Elsae are all prized 

 by their owners. 



The snowdrop will grow anywhere, but deep planting gives the 

 finest flowers. They are charming for table decoration, arranged with 

 green ivy or moss as a foil. If wet sand is used instead of water, each 

 stem will stand erect in the desired position. — H. R. D. 



Snowdrops, Pure white. By S. Arnott (Garden, p. 118, March 9, 

 1913). — Forms in which the green markings are absent are found in 

 poculiformis, which has the inner segments as long or nearly as long as 

 the outer, giving the flower an attractive appearance, and Galanthus 

 nivalis albus, which is not so pleasing and has a tendency to throw 

 flowers with a few green markings. — H. R. D. 



Sodium Plants. By W. J. V. Osterhout {Bot. Gaz., pp. 532-536 ; 

 Dec. 1912 ; with 2 figs.). — The author experimented with Phyllospadix , 

 Viva, Porphyra, Egregia, Nitaphyllum and Chondrus. He found that 

 sodium is as necessary for these plants as it is for animals, and that 

 NH 4 , Ca, Mg, K, Ba, Sr, Cs, Rb, and Li are decidedly injurious when 

 used in sea-water instead of sodium. The best substitutes are other 

 kations, such as Mg, Ca, and K. Each of certain salts has a specific 

 action on life processes. — G. F. S. E. 



Soil Analysis, Modification of the Method of Mechanical. By 



C. C. Fletcher and H. Bryan [U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. Soils, Bull. 

 84; 7 plates). — Instructions are given in detail for separating the 

 dried soil into gravel, four grades of sand, silt and clay. Plates and 

 diagrams with detailed description are given of the apparatus as in 

 use by the Bureau, including sieves and shaking machine for elimi- 

 nating the sands, and centrifuge for dividing finer portion into " silt " 

 and " clay." Distilled water is used, which the authors prefer to 

 apply under pressure. Ammonia is used to keep the soil particles 

 deflocculated. The sand and silt are dried and weighed in platinum, 

 and the clay in enamelled-ware cups. — W. A. V. 



