■166 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



Abies nobilis, Gall-formation on. By E. Molz (Nat. Zeit. 

 Land-Forst. vol. vi. pp. 151-154 ; 4 figs. ; February 1908). — The author 

 has traced the formation of twig and branch galls to Chermes piceae var. 

 Bowieri, and has cleared up some of the difficulties existing concerning 

 the life-history of this insect. It passes some time in bud-galls, then 

 takes up its position at the base of a needle, where it can be seen covered 

 by a waxy covering. Beneath the insect a bark-gall about the size of 

 a pea is formed, and where several of these fuse together the twig is 

 swollen and malformed. The needles and upper part of the twig suffer 

 for want of nutrition and die off, so that ultimately the whole tree is 

 dwarfed.-- W. G. S. 



Aconitum volubile latisectum (Rev. Hort. April 16, 1908, 

 p. 169). — A new species introduced from China by Vilmorin Andrieux 

 and described as a beautiful and curious climber with dark green elegant 

 foliage and large deep blue flowers, blooming in succession in the 

 autumn until the frost. Very ornamental for trellis-work. — C. T. D. 



Almonds, Parasites of (Le Jardin, vol. xxii. No. 509, p. 131, 

 May 5, 1JJ08). — - M. 'de Loverdo has been experimenting on the action of 

 cold upon the two parasites of almonds which have recently been so 

 destructive in France : Paralipsa gularis, a native of N. India, but now 

 unfortunately acclimatized in Provence ; Piodia interpunctella, which is 

 indigenous. The larva? hatched from eggs deposited by these pests give 

 a nauseous flavour to dishes compounded with the affected almonds. 

 The best remedy is to store the fruit in a cold chamber, which completely 

 arrests the development of the pest, and the alnunds can then be taken 

 out and utilized as required, care being taken not to give the parasites 

 time to revive in a warmer atmosphere. — F. A. W. 



Alpines, Rare and Beautiful. By B. Othmer (Die Gartemo. 42, 

 p. 493, July 18, 1908). — Androsace helvetica resembles in habit a fine 

 short moss, with small silky leaves on tiny stems, and delicate pink 

 flowers, which clos.i during rainy or foggy weather and open during 

 sunny days. The flowers always turn to the sun. Senecio incanus 

 resembles somewhat the maritime Cineraria maritima, but is very much 

 smaller in foliage. It is, nevertheless, a high alpine, growing at 2000 

 to 3900 metres altitude of the Alps. 



H elianthemum inlosum is one of the prettiest of rock roses. The 

 rather large showy flowers are rose-coloured, and the leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate, small and hairy.— G. II. 



Apple Leaf-spot caused by Sphaeropsis malorum. By W. M. 



Scott (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. PI. hid., Bull. 121 ; pp. 47-54 ; 2 plates, 



