'284 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Ribes Viburnifolium. By P. Hariott (Le Jardin, vol. xxii. 

 No. 509, p. 141, May 5, 1908).— A Calif ornian Ribes, with Viburnum-like 



leaves, which are evergreen. The plant otherwise resembles the Bibesia 

 section. — F. A. W. 



Roselle : its Culture and Uses. By P. J. Webster (U.S.A. Dep. 



Agr., Bull. 307 ; illustrated). — Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), otherwise 

 known as Jamaica sorrel, is an annual from the tropics of the Old World 

 and produces the roselle fibre of commerce. The most important relative 

 is cotton, and among vegetables okra is related to it. The calyx is the 

 part of the plant used as food, and makes a jelly resembling that of 

 cranberries in colour and flavour. In India it is chiefly grown for fibre, 

 but in Australia (Queensland) two large factories ship large quantities of 

 roselle jam to Europe. The name " roselle " is probably a corruption of 

 the French word oseille, sorrel. — C. H. L. 



Spartina Towndsendii. By Otto Stapf (Gard. Ghron. No. 1099, 

 p. 33, figs. 17-20 ; January 1908). — This plant is an introduction from 

 the Argentine, and is now spreading very rapidly over mud banks on the 

 Hampshire coast. The author says : " I was invited to investigate the 

 matter from a scientific point of view. Having during the last few 

 months paid a number of visits to various points on the Hampshire coast 

 and the Isle of Wight to study the question in the field, I propose to give 

 here a preliminary sketch of the history of this grass and the present exten- 

 sion of its area, adding at the same time a short technical paragraph for 

 those who wish to make themselves familiar w T ith the grass and the allied 

 species which occur along with it." The author then proceeds to give 

 a summary of his work. The paper is illustrated by two maps, one of 

 the coast line which he visited, and the other showing the distribution of 

 the genus Spartina in Western Europe and North Africa. — G. S. S. 



Spraying of Orchards. By Morris and Nicholson (U.S.A. Exp. 

 st u. Oklahoma, Bull. 76, 1908). — The barrel-pump may be used for 

 orchards up to 500 trees ; for more than this, power sprayers are 

 recommended. Hand-pumps give a pressure of 30 lb. to 40 lb. ; with a 

 gasoline-engine power-pump a pressure of 125 lb. was maintained. The 

 Vermont type of nozzle, for general purposes, is preferred to that 

 throwing a fan-shaped spray. Bordeaux formula used, 4*4 copper sulphate 

 to 50 gallons ; and for peaches and plums, copper sulphate 2 lb., fresh 

 lime '2 lb., Paris green j lb., water 50 gallons. Arsenate of lead is 

 largely used, though it costs more than Paris green. A long paddle, made 

 of a piece of board, is found to do the work better than agitators 

 attached to the pumps. The result of several years' work indicates that 

 seven sprayings will more often be found desirable than five, and it will 

 not be safe to depend upon protecting the fruit with less than six. The 

 OOflt of spraying varies from l\d. to lOd. per tree ; the amount of material 

 required to spray a bearing apple tree varies from one to five gallons; 

 three or four gallons of spraying mixture will cover a well-formed tree 

 that has a spread of top of fifteen feet. The spraying mixture of 

 Bordeaux and Paris green, or arsenate of lead, costs hd. to l\d. per 

 gallon.— C. II. II. 



