802 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY* 



the accumulation of insects and fungus pests in the soil and to a lower- 

 ing of bacterial efficiency. They failed to discover in the sick soils 

 any substances toxic to plants or bacteria, and there was abundance 

 of plant food present in the soil. Further they found that heat and 

 antiseptics checked the factor detrimental to bacterial activity, 

 and show that soil sickness in tomato and cucumber houses can be 

 effectually treated by partial sterilization of the soil. — F. J. C. 



Solenostemon Godefroyae (Bot. Mag. tab. 8511). — Family 

 Labiatae, tribe Ocymoideae. Congo and Angola. Herb, 2 feet 

 high. Leaves inch long. Racemes 6-8 inches long. Whorls 



somewhat separated. Corolla J inch long, blue. — G. H. 



Spraying. By W. J. Allen {Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. vol. xxiv. pt. v. 

 pp. 431-436). — Success in the orchard largely depends on cultivation, 

 manuring, pruning, and spraying. Spray every season, following the 

 directions in the Spray calendar. Use fungicides early in the spring 

 as preventives. Spray every tree, and do not forget the under-sides 

 of the leaves. — S. E. W. 



Stanhopea convoluta (Bot. Mag. tab. 8507).— Family Orchideae, 

 tribe Vandeae. Colombia. Herb, epiphytic. Leaves 12-14 inches 

 long, 3§-5i inches wide. Scapes 2 -flowered. Sepals spreading, elliptic, 

 2| inches long ; if inch broad, buff. Petals connivent, enveloping 

 the column, 2 inches long. Labellum 3-lobed, fleshy, i| inch long, 

 orange. — G. H. 



Stanhopea grandiflora (Bot. Mag. tab. 8517).— Family Orchi- 



daceae, tribe Vandeae. Ecuador. Herb, epiphytic. Leaves 10-12 

 inches long. Scape pendulous 6-8 inches long. Flowers large, showy, 

 yellowish with purple blotches. Lip white, 5 inches across. — G. H. 



Strawberry Chesapeake' (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Year Book 1912, 

 p. 269 ; col. plate). — A late variety of excellent flavour and good 

 " shipping " qualities. — E. A. Bd. 



Streptocarpus cyaneus (Bot. Mag. tab. 8521). — Family Ges- 

 neraceae; tribe Didymocarpeae. Transvaal. Herb, perennial or 

 sub-biennial under cultivation. Leaves many, radical 2J-8J inches 

 long. Scapes 3-6 inches long. Corolla, tube ij inch long, white ; 

 limb with sub-unequal lobes 1 inch long, rose-mauve or pink. — G. H. 



Streptocarpus orientalis (Bot. Mag. tab. 8526).— Family 

 Gesneraceae, tribe Cyrtandrae. Siam. Herb, 6-16 inches high. 

 Leaves opposite, 3 J inches long. Inflorescence cymose. Corolla, 



purple. — G. H. 



Substitutes for the Larch. By A. D. Webster (Gard. Mag. 

 No. 3099, p. 202 ; March 22, 1913). — Many substitutes have been 

 suggested and tried for the larch, but the writer is strongly of opinion, 

 after thirty years of observation and note-taking, that the larch has 

 no equal as a profitable coniferous tree in this country. Even the 

 wood in its young stages is of value, whereas with age the trunk is 



