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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



:o the collapse of the cell- walls. If the entire leaf of Mnium as a whole 

 makes an efficient closure to a Torricellian vacuum, it must be due to the 

 fact that either the upper or the under tangential cell-walls are imperme- 

 able, and so form an impervious membrane. — If. H. 



Petroleum : its Use as an insecticide. By E. Gerard (Le Jard. 

 March 20, 1903, p. 90). — A new formula for the preparation of this is 

 raven, said to surpass all others in efficiency. Its merit is due to the 

 addition of saponine, an extract of the root of Saponaria officinalis, in 

 the proportion of one part by weight of saponine to thirty parts of 

 petroleum.— C. D. W. 



Phaius, A Group Of (Orch. Bee. p. 136, figs. 27 and 28; May 



1903). — Illustrations of the so-called Phaius (tuber culosus) section of 

 hybrids, with their parents, are given ; also P. x 1 Olive.' Particulars and 

 descriptions of the species and hybrids are also included. — H. J. C. 



Phalsenopsis Kunstleri. By Sir J. D. Hooker (Bot. Mag. tab. 

 7885). — Nat. ord. Orch idea?, tribe Vandece. Native of the Malayan 

 Peninsula. This species has few leaves, and terminal, seven -flowered 

 racemes. The perianth is nearly 2 ins. broad. Sepals and petals equal 

 and similar ; red-brown in the middle, but with golden tips and bases. 



G. H. 



Philadelphus Delavayi (Henry). By L. Henry (Rev. Hort. Jan. 1, 

 1903, pp. 12-14 ; one woodcut). — Differs markedly from P. coronarius (of 

 which the Kew Index notes it as a variety) in numerous characters, and 

 is quite hardy, while P. coronarius is not. Henry considers it a different 

 species, and hence names it as above. — C. T. D. 



Picea neoveitchii. By M. T. Masters (Gard. Chron. No. 843, 

 p. 116, figs. 50, 51 ; Feb. 21, 1903). — A new species of Picea, discovered 

 v Mr. E. H. Wilson in Western Hupeh at an altitude of about 5,500 

 feet. Only one tree was found, which was about 30 feet high, and grew on 

 the top of an almost inaccessible cliff : it appears to be quite a distinct 

 species. Figures of the foliage and a cone are given, and a Latin description 

 of the tree. — G. S. S. 



Pineapple Culture in Queensland. By Albert H. Benson (Qu. 

 Agr, Juurn. \ii. March 1903).— Suggestions and instructions are given, 

 in two consecutive communications, for the cultivation of the Pine- 

 I pple i 1 1 Queensland, where there is an accepted Pineapple belt of 1,100 

 milea suitable for the purpose. The paper deals with the selection of 

 • . preparation of the land, planting, and general culture.— M. C. C. 



Platycerium (Gard. Chron. No. 837, p. 24, figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 

 ippl.-iuem ; Jun. 10, 1903). -The members of this well-known 

 genua of Ferns arc widely distributed in the tropics of West Africa, the 

 ! \v Archipelago, and North Australia. They <;row naturally on the 

 i-hs of trees, producing two kinds of foliage, "the one sterile, flat, and 

 imperatively little lobed, reminding one of a huge prothallus ; the other 

 ■ •'■♦■ply lol><-d, with dense masses 0 f brown spore-cases on the under 



