NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



593 



Rhododendron kamtSChaticum. By J. Hutchinson (Bot. Mag. 

 ab. 8210). — Nat. ord. Ericaceae ; tribe Rhodoreae. N.E. Asia and 

 N.W. America. Under-shrub 6 inches high ; leaves annual, l|-2f inches 

 long ; corolla carmine-purple. — G. H. 



Rhododendron Madden var. obtusifolia. By J. Hutchinson 

 (Bot. Mag. tab. 8212). — Nat. ord. Ericaceae ; tribe Rhodoreae. Assam. 

 Shrub 8-10 feet high ; leaves 1J-2| inches long ; corolla white, 

 3^ inches diameter. — G. H. 



Robinia Kelseyi. By J. Hutchinson (Bot. Mag. tab. 8213).— 

 Nat. ord. Leguminosae ; tribe Galegeae. North America. Shrub 

 3-10 feet high ; leaves pinnate ; racemes, 5-8-flowered, 3^ inches 

 long ; corolla rose-coloured. — G. H. 



Rosa sericea var. pteraeantha. By J. Hutchinson (Bot. Mag. 

 tab. 8218). — Nat. ord. Rosaceae ; tribe Roseae. Western China and 

 Manipur. Shrub 10 feet in diameter ; prickles large, red, compressed, 

 decurrent and elongated at the base, f-1^ inch long ; leaves pinnate 

 with 9-13 leaflets ; flowers white. — G. H. 



Salts, Soluble, Influence of, on Leaf Structure. By L. L. 



Harter (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. PL Ind., Bull. 134 ; August 1908).— An 

 experiment was undertaken to ascertain whether the presence of a mixture 

 of soluble salts, chiefly common salt, will affect the structure of plants not 

 specially adapted to live in "alkali " soils. Wheat, oats, and barley were 

 used for the experiment. The seeds were germinated and grown for about 

 four weeks in the soils in which the salts were mixed. The total soluble 

 salts contained in the soils amouted to 1, 1*5, and 2 per cent. (0*7, 1*0, 

 and 1*4 per cent, common salt). The seedlings showed a development of 

 waxy bloom and a thickening of the cuticle. The thickening of the cuticle 

 increased with the concentration of the soil solution, and at the same time 

 the size of the epidermal cells decreased. When the amount of salt present 

 is much below the minimum concentration that is injurious under field 

 conditions, no perceptible modification occurred. Detached leaves with 

 bloom upon them lost less water than normal leaves, and wheat plants 

 grown in soils containing naturally 0*09 and 0*12 per cent, total salts 

 (0*06 and 0*08 per cent, common salt) show an increased transpiration 

 as compared with plants grown in a non-saline soil. The soil containing 

 the smaller amount of salt induced the heavier transpiration. — F. J. C. 



San Jose Scale. By J. Troop and C. G. Woodbury (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. Purdue Univ., Bull. 118; March 1907; 12 figs.). — An account of 

 this pest against which lime sulphur wash is recommended. Proprietary 

 washes were not found so effective. A spray calendar is given. — F. J. G. 



Scale Insects in Old Apple Orchards, Control of (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. Neio York, Bull. 296 ; 1908). — Experiments with sprays commonly 

 used for San Jose scale are described with details of cost. Orchards of 

 badly infested standard apples of considerable age were treated. The plant 



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