NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



253 



For greenhouse plants liquid fertilisers are most convenient ; seven 

 formula? are given, all of which have been tried and found satisfactory. 

 To quote one used for Rose-growing (the other formula? being similar 

 save that phosphate of ammonia, dried bone, bone black, sheep manure, 

 and nitrate of potash are employed) : 



Superphosphate . . . . 130 lb. 



Sulphate of ammonia . . 13 „ 



Nitrate of soda . . . . 31 „ 



Sulphate of potash . . . 26 ,, 



Use at the rate of 1 oz. to 1 gallon of water ; apply once each week at 

 the rate of two quarts per square yard of surface. This is done until the 

 plants have taken on a heavy growth, at which time the quantity and 

 the time of application are regulated according to the needs of the plant. 

 In applying liquid chemical fertilisers the plant should have become 

 well established before application is begun. First applications should 

 be weak and at considerable intervals until active growth shows that the 

 fertilisers are being assimilated. 



Liquid manure made from pulverised sheep manure, about the con- 

 sistency and colour of strong tea, makes an excellent fertiliser. — G. H. H. 



Fertilisers, Use of Commercial. By Dr. G. M. Tucker (£7. S.J. 

 St. Bd. Agr. Missouri, vol. ii., n. 7, p. 4, 1902). — To find out what a soil 

 needs in order to grow a good crop, apply nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and 

 potash separately to small pieces of land and grow the crop on them. If 

 either one of these elements gives an increase in yield, it shows that that 

 element is lacking ; or two elements may show an increase ; then these two 

 should be added in future cultivation. Usual commercial fertilisers do 

 not contain vegetable matter, which is an essential of productive soil. 

 Continual cropping reduces the vegetable matter, and if farmyard manure 

 is not used, green crops must be ploughed in ; the best of these are 

 Clovers, Cowpeas, and Beans. — G. H. H. 



Fieus radicans variegata. By Ch. Pynaert (Be v. Hort. Beige, 

 xxviii. No. 2, p. 37 ; with col. pi.). — The variegated leaves of this plant are 

 dark green down the middle, with a golden border. — G. H. 



Flora of Ferro. By J. Bornmiiller (Engl. Bot. Jahrb. xxxiii. 1903, 

 Bcibl. 72, pp. 1-1-4 ; 13 '3 1903). — The author describes a new species of 

 Scnecio (S. Murray i) from this island, and gives a brief general account of 

 the flora of this small member of the Canai'y group, and " the most 

 western point of the old world." — A. B. R. 



Florideae, Development of (Beih. Bot. Cent. xiv. ht. 1, p. 1, 1903). 

 Dr. F. Tobler describes the early stages of Ceramium, Dcisya, Calli- 

 thamnion, Polysiphonia, and other red Alga?. There was no prothallium- 

 like stage in their development. — G. F. S.-E. 



Forest from Seed, How to grow a. By F. W. Rane (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. New Hampshire, Bull. n. 95, November 1902). — This may best be 

 described as an excellent resume of the raising of forest trees from the 

 time the seed is collected until the young trees are planted out 



