NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



287 



elongated fruit-bearing ones to within a few millimetres of the base, so as 

 to cause the lower eyes to shoot out. For varieties with large fruits, like 

 1 Williams,' ' Bearnaise,' ' Bonne d'Ezee,' it is necessary to bend back the 

 shoots and tie them to the parent stem, the principle of this torsion being 

 that, while the production of fruit is accelerated, active growth is at the 

 same time retained. In nature, trees growing in the open cause thin 

 branches to grow vertically until the term of vegetative growth has been 

 reached, and no sooner has fruit-formation set in than they become more 

 and more inclined towards the ground. 



But one is often, according to the vegetative growth of the trees, 

 obliged to prune to four, five, six, or seven eyes ; and the kind of pruning 

 is also subject to the shape of the tree adopted, and to the climate and the 

 soil. 



Details are then given as to the best shapes and methods of pruning 

 to be adopted with particular varieties mentioned. The age of the tree 

 will also have an influence on the length of the fruit-bearing shoots which 

 is to be maintained. 



For the rapid obtaining of fruit, some varieties demand a much longer 

 pruning from the first, while those which fruit readily require short 

 pruning. 



After a too dry season or hailstorms the pruning should be much 

 shorter than if abundant rains had favoured woody growths. 



From this it is clear that it is impossible to establish a priori a 

 uniform system of priming, and it is only by possessing a wide physio- 

 logical knowledge combined with practice and judicious reasoning that 

 one can hope to obtain the best and finest fruits. — W. C. W. 



Prunus serrulata grandiflora, and Primus Mume var. alba 

 plena. By Albert Wagner (Gartenflora, p. 169, pi. 1513; 1/4/03).— 

 Coloured plate of these two varieties of hardy ornamental Primus from 

 Japan. The former has large greenish-white flowers ; the latter, smaller 

 pure- white flowers, which when just opening are a delicate rose colour. 



J. P. 



Prunus subhirtella. By W. J. B. (Chord. Chron. No. 846, p. 163, 

 fig. 70 ; March 4, 1903). — The genus Prunus is well known for the 

 beauty of many of its species when in flower. This charming species is one 

 of the most recent additions to those already in cultivation. It is a native 

 of the mountains in Japan, where it is much grown for the beauty of its 

 flowers. "The original plant at Kew is now 12 or 14 feet high." The 

 flowers are borne in clusters of from two to five ; each flower is about three - 

 quarters of an inch in diameter, of a soft rosy-pink when first expanded, 

 and becoming paler with age. The time of flowering is from the end of 

 March to the middle of April, according to the season. It seems to be 

 easily propagated by taking cuttings about the middle of June. 



G.S.S. 



Pyrethrum Powder as an insecticide. By A. M. [Le Jard 



March 5, 1903, p. 78). — In a dissertation on insecticides the writer says 

 that none is better than Pyrethrum powder if it can be obtained genuine, 

 but that it is frequently adulterated with deleterious substances. The 



