598 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Fruit Growers' Associations. By W. Paddock (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. Colorado, Bull. 122; 4/1907).— Much of the Colorado fruit is 

 disposed of through Associations. The many advantages of this method 

 of trading are clearly set out, and a copy of the by-laws of one of the 

 Associations is given as a guide to others. Not only is the selling done 

 on the co-operative system, but the buying of supplies is carried out 

 through the same channels, with the resulting lightening of freights 

 and the benefit to small growers of buying at wholesale prices. — F. J. C. 



Fruits, Summary of Results with. By E. J. Watson (U.S.A. 

 Exp. Stn. Louisiana, Bull. 90 ; January 1907). — Summarises cultivation, 

 varieties most successful, length of time of growth, yield and return of 

 a number of fruits. In the strawberries the results showed that nitro- 

 genous manure (cotton-seed meal) produced a rank growth and abundance 

 of large fruits, but the three important elements — texture, colour, and 

 flavour — were lacking. Phosphoric acid supplied both colour and flavour ; 

 potash supplied texture and firmness, but neither of these appreciably 

 added to the size or quality of the fruit. A large number of trials of 

 peaches were carried on for five years, including representative varieties 

 from Persia, North China, Spain, South China, or Honey and Puento 

 strains. Records were kept of date of full bloom, date of last killing frost, 

 percentage of blooms killed, percentage of full crop. The frost injury 

 depends on the stage of the blossom, while the atmospheric condition 

 is sometimes an important factor in deciding the result. If frost occurs 

 immediately after or during the period of full bloom, prior to the flowers 

 being fertilised, the results are usually disastrous ; severe rain or wind- 

 storms during this period are more injurious than frost. After the 

 flowers have been fertilised, before the calyx drops, the fruit is capable of 

 withstanding considerable frost. It was found that the late bloomers 

 are more apt to be injured than those blooming earlier. In apples the 

 varieties of northern origin were shorter lived and more subject to fungus 

 disease. — C. E. H. 



Fungi, Edible, Treatment Of. By M. Maziman (Jour. Soc. 

 Nat. Hort. Fr. ; 4th Series, vol. viii. ; April 1907). — Sugar, and more 

 particularly glucose, is said to have a great effect upon the vigour of the 

 lower orders of vegetation, and M. Maziman records his experiments in 

 watering beds of Tricholoma nudum occasionally with slightly sweetened 

 water ; a practice which he considers was attended with good results. 



M. L. H. 



Gentiana ornata. By J. Hutchinson (Bot. Mag. tab. 8140). — Nat. 



ord. Gentianaceae ; tribe Sivertieac ; Alpine Central and Eastern 

 Himalaya. An herb, 6 inches high ; leaves linear, \ inch long ; corolla 

 blue, striated, with greenish-yellow stripes outside. — G. H. 



Geraniums. By A. Pucci (Bull. B. Soc. Tosc. Ort. 5, 1907, 

 p. 125). — As ornamental plants they have been largely neglected. The 

 author mentions those most adapted to gardens as ornamental plants. 

 One of the finest is G. armcnum of Boissior, native of Asia Minor, a 

 very vigorous, hardy plant, about three feet high, with flowers 2 inches 



