NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



677 



To many it must be new that the maturation of the embryo of the seed of 

 Ranunculus Ficaria takes nearly two years after the seed is ripe. In 

 Eranthis hyemalis, Corydalis cava, and several species of Anemone, the 

 similar process of maturation is lengthy, but takes place in time for the 

 seeds to germinate the following spring. Some seeds have been regarded 

 as requiring the effects of frost and snow before they could germinate, but 

 do not the above observations suggest that time alone may be the one 

 necessity ? — B. L L. 



Moorland Plants. By C. v. Tubeuf (Nat. Zeit. Land-Forst. i. pp. 

 237-240, 4 figs. ; 1903). — Two papers are included here. The first calls 

 attention to nodules found on the roots of Vaccinium (uliginosum, Vitis- 

 Idcea, Myrtillus, and Oxycoccos), Calluna vulgaris, and Andromeda Poli- 

 folia. The appearance and anatomical structure are figured. Neither 

 fungi, bacteria, nor any other cause could be detected. The plants grow 

 on a peat-bog moor with much Sphagnum. 



The second paper gives some observations on Molinia ccerulea. "When 

 growing in a dry humus soil, it throws out stolons which produce swollen 

 resting-buds at the nodes. In a Sphagnum moor the internodes grow 

 vertically up so that the new buds are produced at a higher level than the 

 earlier ones ; in this way this moor grass, like other Sphagnum moor plants, 

 keeps pace with the increasing thickness of bog moss. Tubeuf figures the 

 mycorhiza of Molinia. The fungus lives inside the cortical cells, but does 

 not seem to be present in every root. — W. G. S. 



Mosquito Plant, The, Ocimum viride. Anon. (Gard. Citron. 

 No. 866, p. 79 ; Aug. 1, 1903). — An abstract is given of a long letter from 

 Dr. Prout, the principal medical officer in Sierra Leone, giving the details 

 of various experiments carried out by him and Dr. Hood to test the 

 supposed powers of this plant. The results of these experiments show 

 that this plant, when growing, " has little or no effect in driving away 

 mosquitos, and cannot be relied upon as a substitute for the mosquito net ; 

 that the fresh leaves have no prejudicial effect on mosquitos when placed 

 in close contact with them ; and that the fumes of the burnt leaves have a 

 stupefying and, eventually, a destructive effect on mosquitos," but no one 

 could remain in the room while the fumigation was in process of being 

 carried out. — G. S. S. 



Moth-trap. Anon. (Gard. Chron. No. 862, p. 7 ; July 4, 1903).— 

 Acetylene lamps have been used in some of the vineyards in France with 

 much success as a means of destroying night-flying moths. A shallow 

 dish, about 20 inches in diameter, is arranged about 8 inches below the 

 burner, which contains water with a little paraffin-oil poured on the top, so 

 as to form a thick film on the surface. The insects are attracted by the 

 light and fall into the paraffin below. The number of insects killed by 

 these lamps is said to average 3,200 per lamp each night. The lamps are 

 of 10-candle power, are placed about 550 yards apart, and are reported to 

 cost not more than 2 cents per lamp per night. — G. S. S. 



Mountain Glades, Vegetable Gardening* in. By L. C. Corbett 

 and K. C. Davis (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. West. Virginia, Bull. 81, April 1902. 



