8o8 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



popular here. The Horticultural Society of Astrachan is tireless in 

 its endeavours, and employs on its staff an agricultural specialist, 

 two entomologists, and one specialist for valuing the fruit crops, and 

 expends from 75,000 to 120,000 roubles yearly. Both horses and camels 

 are employed in working the ground. In the Botanic Garden at 

 Tiflis splendid specimens of Sterculia platanifolia and Broussonetia 

 papyrijera were noted. Behind the station of Fedschenko in Tiflis 

 on the marshy places a very rare bog-moss used to be found, Sphagnum 

 batumense, but, the ground having been built on since then, the 

 moss is totally extinct. A quantity of tea is grown here and gives 

 four harvests, while in China from two to three harvests is the most. 

 The plantations, which yield 200,000 lb. of tea yearly, are superin- 

 tended entirely by Chinese. Bamboos are grown for the manufacture 

 of furniture and are used also as water-pipes. The leaves are used as 

 a substitute for raffia, the side twigs for brooms ; and the young 

 shoots are eagerly eaten as a vegetable. Other valuable agricultural 

 or commercial plants grown in large numbers are Gardenia florida 

 and Oka fragrans for the perfumes which they produce, Rhus verni- 

 cifera and Bohmzria nivea for paper. Russian banknotes are always 

 printed on this paper. 



In Suchum the exceptionally severe winter of 1909-10 had killed 

 the splendid Eucalyptus trees to the ground. The next year, however, 

 strong shoots began to grow rapidly from the base. — G. R. 



Wahlenbergia, Australian and New Zealand Species of. By N. E. 



Brown (Gard. Chron. Nov. 8, 15, and 22, pp. 316, 336, 354). — 

 A revision. W. gracilis is stated to cover at least six distinct species, 

 the others being W. quadrifida, W. miilticaulis, W. vincae flora and 

 two others, possibly referable to W. Sieberi, W. simplicicaulis or W. 

 Piessii. W. saxicola is also split into two, saxicola found in Tasmania 

 and W. albomarginata in New Zealand. New varieties are given, 

 viz. W. albomarginata var. pygmaea, W. miilticaulis var. dispar, 

 W. vincaeflora var. littoralis. — E. A. B. 



Walnut, Circassian. By George B. Sudworth and Clayton D. 

 Mell (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Forest Service, Circ. 212, January 25, 1913). — 

 A comprehensive account of the Circassian Walnut (Juglans regia), 

 which in reality is the tree commonly cultivated in this country. 

 Probably the present name, as the tree is a native of the Western 

 Caucasus, is more appropriate than that bestowed on the tree by 

 Linnaeus. For furniture of the best quality walnut is the most popular 

 wood, while for gunstocks it is largely in use. Many substitutes for 

 real walnut have appeared on the market. — A. D. W. 



Walnut Pest, Serious (Ephestia elutella Hubn.). By Frederick 

 Maskew [U.S.A. Si. Com. Hort., Cal, Bull. i. 8, July 1912 ; 

 14 figs.). — This insect is recorded as being cosmopolitan in dis- 

 tribution, and was first noted in California through a shipment of 

 walnuts from Manchuria. The white cocoons were visible on the 



