284 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Arauja graveolens. Anon. {Gard. Chron. No. 792, p. 139, fig. 42 ; 

 1 3 1902). — The seeds and seed pods of this plant are the subject of an 

 interesting figure, which gives their details in a very clear manner and 

 shows the curious way in which the seeds are detached by the tuft of 

 hairs attached to them. An allusion is made to some confusion in the 

 nomenclature of these plants. — G. S. S. 



Aristolochia grandiflora and Aristolochia Gigas from Seed. 



By 0. Zipperlen (Die Gart. p. 184 ; 18/1/1902). — From own seeds saved 

 sown in March, they flowered in September 1901. Culture of these 

 interesting showy species is much recommended. — G. R. 



Aristolochia macroura Gomez x A. brasiliensis Mart, et 

 Zuec. By J. Holscher {Die Gart. p. 256 ; 1/3,1902; with illustration). 

 A most interesting article ; treats the hybrid of a very distinct and 

 free -flowering Aristolochia raised by Mr. E. Uhle from seeds distributed 

 to different botanic gardens, of which a packet reached the Breslau 

 Botanic Gardens. The seeds at once sown grew T rapidly, and one of the 

 plants was after a few months large enough for planting out in a green- 

 house ; the plant flowered the same year, but, being late in the season, 

 rather imperfectly. The plant had to be cut back and wintered in a 

 stove. The following summer it grew well, and produced flowers in 

 great numbers, more so than in the species. E. Uhle describes this 

 hybrid as being entirely intermediate between the parent plants, but more 

 distinctly developed in some parts. — G. R. 



Aroids, Malay. By H. N. Ridley (Jowrn. Bot. 469, pp. 34-38; 

 1 1902). — Descriptions of Homalonema, Curtisii, argentea, falcata, 

 propinqua, mult incr vis, mixta, and crassa, Schismatoglottis marginata, 

 longifolia, and longicaulis, and Baphidophora Icetevirens, new Malayan 

 species, with notes on other species. — G. S. B. 



Ash Constituents of Plants: Their Estimation and their 

 Importance to Agricultural Chemistry and Agriculture. By 



B. Tollens, of Gottingen (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Record, vol. xiii., Nos. 3 and 

 4, 1901).— An excellent and lengthy treatise on the subject, a standard 

 work.— 0. II. II. 



Asparagus of Cascine dell' Isola. By G. Papasogli (Bull. R. 

 Soc. Tosc. Ort. 1, p. 23 ; January 1902). — The therapeutic properties of 

 the plant as ascribed to it by various classical writers are cited, after 

 which follows a discussion as to the value of the amide-crystal asparagin, 

 seeing that this substance occurs in many other plants whose nutritive 

 value it cannot enhance, in view of the fact that its nitrogenous constituent 

 becomes reduced in the human organism to the condition of ammonium salts 

 which pass off into the urine. Asparagus owes rather its high position 

 us a favourite amongst vegetables to its delicious taste and perfume. It 

 lmows luxuriantly at Argenteuil in siliceous and calcareous soil, but it 

 does not like clayey soils ; but, as is proved by the state of things at the 

 iiliove-mentioned institution, the plants may be made, by means of facilities 

 tor proper a» ration and hydration of the soil, amenable to cultivation in 



