280 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



'2 11). of lime to 1 or 2 gallons of water, fresh slacked lime, strained and 

 applied to the tree, covering the tree from top to bottom with this mixture 

 in two applications, the second being put on as soon as the first is dry; 

 it also destroys large numbers of insect eggs.— C. II. H. 



Peonies, Tree. By W. T. (Gard. Mag. n. 2586, p. 339 ; 23/5/03).— 

 The early history of these beautiful shrubs since their introduction into 

 Europe is given, and very interesting incidents are related. The writer 

 throw > out the suggestion that the old Moutan Paeony may be hybridised 

 with the Dew yellow-flowered Pceonia lutea, and originate a new race of 

 Tree PaBonies with a greater range of flower colour. This is probable. 



W. G. 



Palms : Hardy Forms. By G. Ugolini (Bull. B. Soc. Tosc. Ort. 

 3, 4, p. 91 ; March-April 1903). — Cliamarops humilis, called by the 

 [talians the Palm of San Pier Martire, by the French ' Petit Palmier,' and 

 by tin English 1 Dwarf Palm,' occurs wild along the Mediterranean coast, 

 w here it forms large impenetrable bushes, five to six metres high. It is 

 multiplied by offshoots and by seeds, which are abundantly produced. It 

 is cultivated with success in the north of Italy, where it is able to resist 

 the cold, its leaves preserving a glaucous green colour even through the 

 w inter. It flowers in May, with gigantic bunches of monoecious, yellowish 

 flowers, succeeded by the fruits, which are worthless save for reproducing 

 the species. G. c.rcclsa, Thunb., a native of China, is even more hardy and 

 resistent to winter's cold than the last species. But its habit is less 

 elegant, and its foliage apt to get injured by frost and wind. Its single 

 stem rise- to a height of 10 metres. It is only ornamental during youth 

 when the stem is still clothed throughout with leaves of a flabeiliform 

 Bhape and tine green colour. It also flowers in May, and is easily propa- 

 gated by means of its abundant fruits. — W. C. W. 



Parthenogenesis in Ficus hirta. By M. Treub (Ann. Jard. Bot. 

 Unit. Ber. II. vol. iii. 1902 ; pp. 124-154; 10 plates).— The author gives 

 strong evidence in favour of the view that in certain species of Figs the 

 embryo can develop from the egg-cell without the. fertilisation of the 

 l itter by i male cell from the pollen-tube. He observed the germination 

 of the pollen grains on the stigma of Ficus hirta; but he failed to 

 observe the pollen -tube even reaching the ovule in any of the very 

 numerous ovulea investigated, though these already showed the earlier 

 steps towards the change into seeds, including the development of an 

 wnbryo and the initial stages of the formation of a multicellular 

 endosperm. — /'. (',. 



Passiflora laurifolia, Fruit of (Bull But. Dep. Trinidad, No. 37, 

 p- 511 ; January 1!)0:{). Known as the ' Belle Apple,' this is praised as 

 l!l excellent fruit, but care should be taken not to eat any of the rind, as 

 it p ssessee strong emetic properties. It is sold in the markets of the 

 Windward Isles. /•;. j. /;. 



Pears: Varieties induced by Secondary Grafting-. By Pierre 

 [Bi . Hort. Marc h 1, 1003, pp. 105-8; 6 woodcuts).— An interesting 



