NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



617 



Ringing Herbaceous Plants. By U. P. Hedrick, 0. M. Taylor, 

 and R. Wellington (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., Geneva, New York, Bull. 288; 

 4/1907). — The cutting through or ' removal of a ring of bark from the 

 stem of a tree is frequently resorted to in order to induce productiveness, 

 to increase the size of the fruit, and to hasten maturity ; and the practice 

 is often attended with the desired result. Similar experiments are here 

 recorded with tomatos and chrysanthemums, but with very different 

 results. With tomatos the height of the stems was not affected, but 

 swellings occurred just above the wounds, the average number of fruits 

 was reduced, and the fruits weighed less ; the colour and flavour of the 

 fruit w T ere not affected, but the foliage of the ringed plants took a curved 

 and pendent position, and had warty growths upon it, becoming at the 

 same time somewhat yellow. The roots were less developed, fewer in 

 number, and smaller in size. W T ith chrysanthemums the foliage took on 

 a yellowish tinge, with portions reddish-purple ; the stems became more 

 or less swollen, but not so tall ; when the ringing was done just as the 

 buds appeared, the buds failed to open, while in other cases the period 

 of maturity was slightly hastened ; the size of the blossoms was reduced 

 and the roots lacked vigour ; the ringed plants produced almost no 

 suckers. The authors think that possibly the deleterious effect noted 

 in herbaceous plants may also in the end be evident in woody plants. 



F. J. C. 



Roman Hyacinths. By M. de Mazieres (Le Jardin, xxi. 495, 

 p. 298 ; October 5, 1907). — Roman hyacinths are cultivated in Provence 

 with the sole object of multiplying bulbs, which have become an important 

 export. A light porous soil is required, permeable to air and water, and 

 prepared in June or July (i.e. tw r o or three months before planting) by 

 digging in farm manure or oil-cake mixed with a little potash, in the 

 proportion of 20,000 kilogrammes to 1 hectare. In September or 

 October plant in rows 30 cm. apart, with a distance of 4 to 6 cm. 

 between the bulbs. Each square metre will thus hold sixty to eighty 

 bulbs. Trench up the ground, so that rain-water will run off into the 

 furrows. Water if necessary during and after the flowering season. 

 When the leaves are dry and yellow in June the bulbs should be taken 

 up and dried in the shade, after which the roots are cleared off and the 

 bulbs stored in a dry, well-ventilated shed. They have no commercial 

 value till after the second year's growth, when they should be 12 to 15 cm. 

 in circumference (gauged by a zinc sieve), and these are sold, the smaller 

 ones being replanted. The large bulbs when taken up are surrounded 

 with, bulbils, which are removed and subsequently planted to make their 

 first year's growth. When sold in June the large bulbs are worth 

 60 to 80 francs (£2 to £3) per 1000.—- F. A. W. 



Rosa rugosa Hybrids, New (Bev. Hort. March l, 1907, 

 pp. 101-2). — Two forms described as very fine : * Madame Rene 

 Gravereaux ' f Conrad Ferdinand Meyer ' x 1 Safrano '), very large odorous 

 flowers, pale rose, slightly tinged lilac ; and 1 Monsieur Bienvetu ' 

 ('Pierre Notting ' x 'Safrano' x 'Conrad Ferdinand Meyer'), bright 

 salmon-rose flowers, very large. — C. T. D. 



3 c 



