178 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



beauty is altogether lost, as the tiowers are borne in very long drooping 

 racemes, and are consequently seen to the best advantage on tall stems. 

 The object aimed at .should be good, strong growth, the main shoot being, 

 allowed to grow without pinching. Even if the result is a plant 4 feet to 

 5 feet in height, it will be found that this is by no means too tall for the 

 long racemes pushed out from the upper part. It is in no way a novelty, 

 for it was introduced from Colombia in 1851, Thyrsacanthus rutilans is 

 one of the fine old plants which are coming more prominently forward 

 after many years of comparative neglect. — E. T. C. 



Tobacco Breeding. By A. D. Sharnel and W. W. Cobey (U.S.A. 

 Dep. A(jr., Bur. PL huh, Bull. 96 ; 14 figs., 10 plates ; March 1907).— 

 Great variability is found among tobacco plants in what is reputed the 

 same variety on the same field. The causes of variation include crossing, 

 change of soil and change of climatic conditions, while individual varia- 

 tions are due to such causes as inherent tendency to variability, methods 

 of soil fertilisation and cultivation, maturity of seed, and various local 

 conditions. Instances of these variations are given. The tobacco flower 

 is self-fertile, and plants from self- fertilized seed are always stronger than 

 those from cross-fertilized ; but there is danger of cross-fertilization by 

 bees &e. The objects in view in the experiments have been the improve- 

 ment in the shape of the leaf, modification of size, control of number of 

 leaves, production of non-suckering types and of early varieties, and 

 improvement of burning qualities. Then follow descriptions of the 

 methods of saving seed, of seed separation, of a variety raised by seed 

 selection, and of others raised by cross-fertilization. — F. J. C. 



Tobacco, Experiments with Fertilisers on. By Chas. E. 



Thorne (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Ohio, Bull. 172; March 1906).— The average 

 yield for the three years 1902-1905 on the unfertilized plots was 522 lb., 

 on the fertilized 986 lb., while the quality was much better on the latter 

 than the former. Farmyard manure is found to be the best material for 

 use, while sodium nitrate appears the best form for use in supplying 

 nitrogen. — F. J. C. 



Tobacco Thrips. By W. A. Hooker (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. EnL, 

 Bull. 65, April 1907 ; 2 plates, 2 text figs.). — Under shade cultivation 

 tobacco enemies appear to be found at their worst, and a new pest is here 

 described. The injury wrought by this species of thrips leads to the pro- 

 duction of a white coloration on the veins, which shows in the fermented 

 leaf, at times about 20 per cent, of the crop being affected. The insect 

 appears to be widely distributed and a general feeder in the States, and 

 a description and figure of the insect, which proves to be a new species, 

 are given. Rains act as a great check, and it is advised to raise the seed- 

 lings away from the general bed, to cultivate cleanly, not to plant cereals 

 next to shade-grown tobacco, and to apply kerosene emulsion (1 part to 

 10 parts of water) with a knapsack sprayer twice a week regularly, com- 

 mencing when the plants are in the seed bed. — F. J. C. 



Tomatoes, Excessive Feeding as a Factor in Producing. 



By E. P. Sandsten (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Wisconsin. Ann. Rep. 190"), 



