NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



683 



fruits, often of great size, which are only gathered when mature, as only 

 in such condition is the best oil obtained from them. In Andalusia the 

 following varieties are grown: 'Ojiblanca,' 1 Corrasquena,' ' Manzanilla,' 

 1 Tempranilla,' anl 'Neradilla.' The first-named is the most productive 

 but the earliest are the three last-named. — W. C. W. 



Oncidium platybulbon Egl. and 0. praestans Rchb. fils. By 

 Eduard v. Kegel (Gartenflora, 1/9/03, p. 449 ; pi. 1518). — Coloured plate 

 and short description of these two somewhat uncommon Orchids. — J". P. 



Onion-growing- in the Cache a la Poudre Valley. By Wendell 

 Paddock (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Colorado, Bull. 81, March 1903; plates). 

 — A paper of hints to the growers of Onions in the Cache a la Poudre 

 valley, where this vegetable seems to have been made a speciality of since 

 1880. Advice is given on the best soil for Onions, on the preparation of the 

 land, on fertilising, sowing, cultivation, irrigation, harvesting, on the choice 

 of varieties, on storing, and on the prevention of disease or damage by insects. 

 The variety which best meets all requirements in this district, out of the 

 many tested, is 1 Yellow Globe Dan vers,' and it appears that the seed 

 supplied by seedsmen is so greatly influence! by the climate of the valley 

 that the larger part of the seed now used is home-grown. — M. L. H. 



Opuntias. By A. Berger (Gard, Chron. No. 867, p. 89, figs. 32 to 

 42 incl.). — A very interesting account is given of this curious genus, to 

 which the motto "Nemo me impune lacessit " applies even better than it 

 does to the Scotch thistle, as the spines of these Cactus-like plants are 

 most intractable. The Opuntias are a well-known genus of the Cactus 

 family ; they were considered by Linnaeus to be varieties of one species, 

 and were named by him Cactus Opimtia. De Candolle was of the same 

 opinion, but Miller was the first to establish the genus, using Linnaeus's 

 specific name. Since those days many new species have been added, and 

 the number of species now amounts to between 140 and 150. A short 

 table is given showing the differences between the various genera, and a 

 brief account is given of several of them. — G. S. S. 



Orange, Mandarin, in Florida. By H. H. Hume ( U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. Florida, Bull. 66 ; 2 plates). — A useful study of this group of varieties 

 of the Orange, dealing with the introduction into America, names, descrip- 

 tions of nine varieties and tables of weight and dimensions, &c, per- 

 centage of acid and sugar, and fertilisers removed from sul. — E. A. B. 



Orange Weevil. By E. S. Panton (Bull. Dep. Agr. Jam., vol. i. 

 pt. 11, p. 249). — The Orange Weevil, called the ' Fidler,' represents a West 

 Indian group of snout-beetles of the family Curculionidce. Probably all 

 varieties feed on Citrus, the commonest being rubro-vittatus (figured). 

 The adults feed on the leaves, while the grubs attack the roots. The 

 former effect no great injury, while the grubs, which are white, fleshy, 

 and footless, do serious harm. 



Mr. Panton thinks the grubs only feed on decaying roots after the 

 Citrus trees have become diseased by a mysterious cause, which is very 

 prevalent, in which the taproot rots off, and the heartwood of the trunk 



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