NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



603 



" Of all the irises it is my pleasure to know, those from America appeal 

 to the artistic sense the most. They have not the stature of L aurea 

 or L Monnieri, neither have they the huge flowers of I. laevigata, but 

 they have refinement, beauty of form, and artistic schemes of colour 

 that equal, if they do not surpass, any other irises in these respects." 



G. S. S. 



Kennedya retrorsa. By W. B. Hemsley (Bot. Mag. tab. 8144).— 

 Nat. ord. Leguminosae ; tribe Phaseoleae ; Eastern Australia. Twining 

 shrub ; leaves trifoliate, 3-6 inches long ; flowers f inch diameter, rose- 

 purple. — G. H. 



LaeliO-Cattleya Hybrids (Bev. Hort. January 16, 1907, p. 31).— 

 Cattleya ' Eldorado alba,' pure white, crossed with Laelia Perrini alba, 

 also pure white, yielded offspring bearing pink flowers ; . but C. Mossiae 

 alba, crossed with another form of same name with yellow throat, 

 yielded a pure-white variety. — C. T. D. 



Lead Arsenate and Paris Green. By J. P. Street and W. E. 

 Britton (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Conn., Bull. 157 ; 9/1907). — Lead arsenate is 

 now usually recommended as a spray in place of Paris green against leaf- 

 eating insects, because it has greater adhesive powers and is harmless to 

 foliage, while it lacks nothing in effectiveness. It is recommended that 

 the lead arsenate be made at home, since the freshly precipated arsenate 

 appears to keep in suspension better than even the best commercial 

 preparations. To make it 24 oz. of lead acetate (or 20 oz. of lead 

 nitrate) are dissolved in a gallon of cold water ; 10 oz. of sodium 

 arsenate are dissolved in another vessel in three quarts of water, and both 

 solutions are poured into 100 to 150 gallons of water to use as a spray 

 fluid. The solutions should be made in wooden vessels. It is recom- 

 mended that Paris green solution for spraying should be made by taking- 

 Paris green 1 lb., fresh quicklime 3 lb., and water 100 gallons. Either 

 may be used in connection with Bordeaux mixture, when the Paris green 

 need have no lime added ; but the lead arsenate is rendered insoluble by 

 the Bordeaux mixture, and is therefore not so effective as when used 

 alone.— F. J. C. 



Legume Inoculation, Conditions affecting\ By Karl F. 

 Kellerman and T. R. Robinson (U.S.A. Bur. Plant Industry, Bull. 100, 

 pt. viii., 1906). — An interesting paper which for the most part 

 corroborates the most careful records on the subject. The decided 

 benefit of lime in obtaining successful inoculations of legumes in some 

 soils is clearly indicated. " At least during the first season's growth no 

 general cross-inoculation takes place. Bacteria from one host may, 

 however, inoculate a physiologically related species." " Heavy inocula- 

 tion by a pure culture increases nodule formation if the soil solution is 

 enriched by the excess of the culture medium ; however, in a favourable 

 soil, a light inoculation, well distributed, is as effective." 



"Thorough aeration is favourable to nodule formation." This is a 

 fact of greatest importance, and fully endorses the practical methods of 

 our best English cultivators. — F. J. B. 



3 B 2 



