NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



785 



Hydrangea hortensis. By A. Geist (Oestr. Gart. Zeit. vol. 

 viii. pt. x. pp. 297-299; 1 fig.). — The production of blue flowers is 

 promoted by watering the Hydrangeas once a fortnight with a 1 per 

 cent, solution of ammonia alum. — S. E. W. 



Hydrangea hortensis. By D. Bois and G. T. Grignan (Rev. 

 Hort. p. 342, Aug. 1, 1913). — Descriptions of three new varieties. 

 ' Souvenir de Madame Beranger,' ' Madame Philippe de Vilmorin/ 

 and 1 Rose de Tours/ certificated as new at the Cours-la-Reine Ex- 

 hibition.— C. T. D. 



Insect Pests Scheduled by the Board of Agriculture. By 



H. C. Long (Gard. Chron. 1913). — This series is continued as 

 follows : — 



The Colorado Beetle, Oct. 4, p. 233, with fig. 



The Cherry Fruit Fly, Oct. 18, p. 271, with coloured plate. 



American Pear Blight, Nov. 8, p. 319. 



Tomato Leaf Spot, Dec. 13, p. 417, with fig. — E. A. B. 



Iris mellita (Bot. Mag. tab. 8515). — Family Iridaceae, tribe 

 Irideae. Thrace and Asia Minor. Herb. Leaves densely tufted, 

 2 J inches long. Perianth with a greenish tube, blotched with red, 

 limb ij inch long, lurid purple or yellow ; veins reddish. — G. H. 



Iris Regelio-cyclus. By A. Steffen (Gartenfiora, vol. lxii. 

 pt xiv. pp. 301-306 ; 2 figs.) — The Regelio-cyclus Iris is a beautiful 

 free-flowering hybrid obtained by crossing Regelia (/. Korolkowi, 



I. violacea, I. concolor, or /. venosa) with an Oncocyclus iris, such as 

 Susiana or iberica. The best of these hybrids is ' Terpsichore,' which 

 bears large purple flowers with ultramarine veins. Dido, Hebe, Hecate, 

 Isis, Sirona, Flora, and Iphigenia are all worth growing. In the beginning 

 of October plant the Iris in a mixture of loam and old mortar in wire 

 baskets sunk in the ground in a well-drained sunny situation. In 

 summer the baskets are taken up and placed on a dry shelf for the 

 rhizomes to ripen. The Iris dies if the seed is left to ripen. The seed 

 of hybrid Iris seldom germinates. — S. E. W. 



Iris Xiphium, Forcing of (Gard. Chron. Nov. 22, 1913, p. 357). — 

 Full and practical details for forcing Spanish Irises in quantities for 

 market purposes. — E. A. B. 



Iron, Absorption of, by Plants (Gard. Chron. Nov. 1, 1913, 

 p. 299). — Describes possible cases of inability to absorb iron from 

 soil if protoplasm is impermeable to it, and suggesting that a com- 

 pound of ammonium nitrate and iron would be available for absorption 

 if applied in solution. — E. A. B. 



Jacaranda acutifolia and Lagerstroemia indica. By Eugen 

 Vetter (Die Gartenw. May 3, p. 241). — The author describes the 

 inconceivable splendour of these two flowering trees in the streets 

 of Lima. Jacaranda acutifolia, a native of Peru, has gorgeous violet- 

 blue flowers. When in bloom the tree resembles a gigantic bouquet. 



VOL. XXXIX. 3 F 



