240 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



With regard to Beets in the light house, greater individual weight was 

 secured in a few instances ; but in the dark house a greater number of 

 average marketable Beets were found. They are not a profitable crop, as 

 they take a considerable time to mature. 



In the season 1893-4 other plants were tried, as Peas, Beans, 

 Spinach, Endive, Coleus cuttings, Geranium, Strobilanthes, Echeveria, 

 Heliotrope, Marguerite, Daisy, and Begonia. 



Peas and Beans germinated from three to four days earlier in the dark 

 house than in the light, but it was found that the soil was moister, not 

 being level, though Beans bloomed four days earlier in the dark house, in 

 six more days the Beans in the dark were bearing freely, while they were 

 blossoming freely in light, but with no marketable pods. In five more 

 days the Beans in the light house began to bear. 



The Beans under the light were not able to overtake those in the dark 

 house. The difference in moisture, therefore, had more effect upon their 

 growth than the difference in the light. 



The Peas, on the other hand, of the light house, although from three 

 to four days behind in starting, overtook those in the dark and blossomed 

 at the same time. They also gained on those in the dark and produced, 

 on the whole, larger pods. 



The effect on Spinach, Endive, and Lettuce was to make them run to 

 seed quickly ; the plants in the dark house made normal and solid growth. 

 The question of watering is even more important from an economic 

 standpoint than that of lighting by electricity ; but when both are favour- 

 able an ideal condition is approached. 



Coleus cuttings in the dark house were taller and produced better 

 plants. Their heights were as seven to four ; they enjoy a moist soil. 



Of potted plants Heliotrope blossomed first under light on December 

 13, and not until January 3 in the dark house. Geranium and others all 

 behaved similarly. 



[See Elektro-Kultur,durch clektrisclic Bchandhuuj, — Auf mchrjahrigcr 

 Vcrsuche dargestellt, von Dr. Selim Lemstrom, Professor der Physik an 

 der Universitat Helsingfors (Gard. Chron., July 26, 1902, p. 49).] — G. H. 



Effect of Ether. 



Etherisation of Plants. Anon. (Gard. chron. No. 792, p. ill, 

 1/8/1902). — In an article on the use of the electric light, and of ether in 

 forcing plants, some account is given of the use of ether in forcing plants 

 into flower prematurely, and the various plants with which experiments 

 have been made and the result of the experiments ; it is claimed that 

 plants that have been etherised can be forced at a lower temperature 

 than others, and that various flowering shrubs can be brought into blossom 

 some eight or ten days sooner than would otherwise have been the case. 

 It is admitted that there are certain difficulties and inconveniences in 

 this method of treatment, which no doubt in time will be overcome. 



G. S. S. 



Biology of Ekysiphe^:. 



Erysipheae, Researches on the Biology of. By P. W. Neger 

 (Flora, xc. 1902, pp. 221 272 ; 27 woodcuts). — This is in continuation 



