398 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Fats from Rhus laurina and Rhus diversiloba. By James B. McNair (Bo:. 

 Gaz. vol. lxiv. No. 4, October 1917 ; pp. 330-336; 1 figure). — The writer ha9 

 isolated from the ripe fruit of R. laurina and R. diversiloba substances very similar 

 to Japan wax. Increase in the fat content of the fruit of R. diversiloba was found 

 to occur simultaneously with a decrease in its poisonous properties. This 

 decrease in the ripening of the fruit results in its becoming non-toxic. The 

 phenomenon is not necessarily due to a chemical transformation of the poison 

 into fat, for : (1) Subsequent to the formation of fat the cells in which it is de- 

 posited become filled with starch ; (2) it is possible for the plant to transform 

 starch into fat ; (3) fat is not formed in the parenchymatous sheaths of 

 the resin passages ; (4) consequent upon the formation of fat, the resin 

 passages are everywhere constricted by the growth of parenchyma sheaths ; 

 and (5) a similar fat has been found in the fruit of a non-poisonous species 

 of Rhus. — R. J. L. 



Freesias, Improvement of. By A. Ragionneri (Gard. Chron. Oct. 4, 1919 ; p. 181). 

 — Records the first crosses made in 1878, between F. refracta alba and F. 

 Leichtlinii, and of the resulting races with F. Armstrongii in 1905, and other 

 interesting facts. — E. A. B. 



Fruit. By W.J.Green and J.B. Keil (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. t Ohio, Bull. 313, pp. 

 601-614 ; 1 plate). — A list of the best varieties of fruit grown in Ohio. — S. E. W. 



Fruit Diseases (Bull. State Comm. Hort., California, vii. 9, Sept. 1918 ; 25 figs.). — 

 Contains papers on Grape Mealy Bug, Bud Curl of Lemon Tree, The Oriental 

 Peach Moth, &c. Also notes by Robert W. Hodgson on " Little Leaf of De- 

 ciduous Fruit." This little leaf condition has been known for many years, and 

 is characterized by the failure to leaf out at the normal time, and finally, when 

 the leaves are produced they are small, narrow, and yellow. The whole tree 

 may be involved, or one or two limbs only. Fruit may fail to set, or if it does 

 set it shrivels and drops. The cause is at present unknown, but it is most 

 prevalent in soils that lack moisture and nutrition. — V. G. J. 



Fruit Drying. By J. H. Beattie and H. P. Gould (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Farm. 

 Bull. 903, pp. 1 -61, 22 figs.). — A description of the methods used in the States 

 for drying apples, pears, prunes, peaches, raspberries, and loganberries. — S. E. W. 



Fruit Insects, Papers on. By F. E. Brooks and B. R. Leach (U.S.A. Dep. 

 Agr., Bull. 730, Dec. 191 8 ; 8 plates, 1 fig.). — This bulletin deals with (1) The 

 Grape Curculio, (2) the Grape Root-borer, and (3) Experiments in the control 

 of the root form of the Woolly Apple Aphis. With regard to the latter, carbon 

 bisulphide in solution at the rate of one half-ounce to four gallons of water, and 

 applied at the rate of three-quarters of a gallon to each square foot of soil will 

 control this form of aphis under suitable soil conditions. The liquid is best 

 applied by preparing shallow basins about the tree when the soil is in a moist 

 condition. 



The gas diffuses laterally and vertically only as far as the liquid penetrates, 

 and therefore every foot of infested soil must be subjected to the action of the 

 solution in order to ensure success. 



The treatment may be made any time during the growing season, except 

 for a period of two or three weeks in the spring when the trees are budding out. — 



V. G. J. 



Fruit Protection. By V. Enfer (Rev. Hort. vol. xci. pp. 294-295). — Apples 

 and pears are protected from spot, insect pests, and hail by enclosing the small 

 fruit before the middle of June in paper bags (5^ inches by 8 inches). The corners 

 at the bottom are cut off so as to leave small openings to admit air. The. bags 

 are gradually cut away in September in order that the fruit may colour and 

 harden.— S. E. W. 



Fumigation : Hydrogen Cyanide Fumigation. By E. E. Clayton (Bot. Gaz. 

 vol. lxvii., No. 6, June 1919, pp. 483-500 ; with 2 figures). — The investi- 

 gations described in this paper were carried out with the view to determining 

 how green plants are affected by exposure to hydrocyanic acid. 



The following summary of results is given : — 



1 . Different concentrations of hydrocyanic acid gas gave effects ranging 

 from "stimulative to depressive. The maximum of beneficial results was secured 

 with^concentrations^doadly to insect life, but just a little below the point of 

 firstln j ury ^to' the'plant. 



