NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



471 



Drainage of Agricultural Land. By C. T. Baines {Jour. Bd. 

 Agr. vol. xx. no. 1, pp. 26-30). — Method is described, and an estimate 

 of cost is given. — A. S. 



Elsholtzia Stauntoni (BoL Mag. tab. 8460). — China. Family 

 Labiatae, tribe Satureineae. Under-shrub, aromatic, stem 4-5 feet 

 high. Leaves 3i~4i inches long. Verticillasters 5-10 flowered. 

 Corolla rose-purple. — G. H. 



Enological Studies. By William B. Alwood (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., 

 Bur. of Chetn., Bull. 145 ; Nov. 20, 1911). — The United States Bureau 

 of Chemistry has to perform duties under the Food and Drugs Act 

 which require the possession of definite data on the methods of wine 

 making and of its by-products made in the several wine districts of 

 the country. As a first step a detailed study was made of the chemical 

 composition and general character of the several varieties of grapes 

 grown in the Central and Eastern States, especially those sent to the 

 wineries at Sandusky, Ohio. A chemical study of the commercial 

 wines produced in the middle and eastern wine-growing districts was 

 also found necessary for the purpose of comparing their quality with 

 that of wines made under the direction of the Bureau itself. 



The tests were confined to what are called ' American Grapes ' : 

 that is, native seedlings and crosses produced in America from Euro- 

 pean species as distinguished from the distinctly European varieties 

 grown so largely in California. A description is given of the tests 

 as carried out in 1908, 1909, and 1910, and elaborately arranged 

 tables are given showing the results of these tests. There is a column 

 for each variety tested, and the results, computed in grammes 

 per cent, of expressed juice, are given under headings for density 

 for total solids, sugar-free solids, sugar as invert sugar, acid as 

 tartaric, the last four headings being quoted for Average, Maximum, 

 and Minimum. — M. L. H. 



Epidendrum. By M. Ehinger (Orchis, vol. vii. pt. ii. pp. 26-27). — 

 Many species of Epidendrum are well worth growing, on account of 

 their delicious perfume, viz. E. fragrans, odoralissimum, gracile, 

 ionosmum, and odbratum. E. polybulbon, E. ochraceum, E. erubescens, 

 E. cochleatum, and E. vitellinum are delicate miniatures, remaining in 

 flower for eight to ten weeks. Many of the varieties are found in 

 Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and in the north of Brazil. — 



S. E. W. 



Eriopsis Helenae (BoL Mag. tab. 8462).— Peru. Family 

 Orchidaceae, tribe Vandeae. Herb, epiphytic, 1J-2 feet high. Leaves 

 16-22 inches long. Scapes, erect, curved upwards, 2 feet long. 

 Flowers i£ inch across, the 5 petals and sepals alike, a little less 

 than 1 inch yellow ; labellum, 3-lobed, § inch long. Middle lobe white, 

 with purple spots ; other lobes yellow. — G. H. 



