ABSTRACTS. 



723 



where various typical aquatics — among others Victoria regia — grew, 

 containing also goldfishes and young brood. Not being able to clear the 

 pest away, he threw in the tank a little copper vitriol, which at once 

 killed the Algae, without injury to other plants and fishes. — G. R. 



Algae in the Malayan Archipelago. By A. Weber van Bosse 

 (Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit. ser. ii. vol. ii. pt. ii. 1901, p. 126, with 3 plates). 

 Preliminary notes on the results of an expedition. — P. G. 



Almond, Late-flowering Varieties of. By Q. Rossati (Bull. E. Soc. 

 Tosc. Ort. ix. p. 277 ; September 1902). — The Almond is cultivated on a 

 large scale in California only, although also in the States of Arizona, 

 New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Oregon. The California!) produce varies 

 annually from 500,000 to 2,500,000 pounds, and the quality compares 

 well with that of European varieties. The importation by the States 

 from other countries depends on the success or otherwise of the 

 Californian crops. A table is given showing the importation of the 

 product from Italy, France, Spain, and other countries for the past five 

 years. The liability of the tree to damage from frosts is the cause of 

 its cultivation being confined to certain " Almond belts." From data 

 afforded by the Experimental Station at Berkeley, CaL, the variety most 

 resistent to frost is ' Drake's Seedling ' ; it is therefore not the best for 

 quality. According to the Department of Agriculture at Washington, 

 the best varieties for quality are ' I X L,' ' Ne Plus Ultra,' and 

 1 Nonpareil,' which flower in P'ebruary, and along with all the others 

 mentioned in the report can be obtained from the California Nursery 

 Company at Niles, Cal. Then follows a table compiled from the station 

 at Berkeley, giving the times of flowering, germination and ripening, and 

 the quantity of fruit going to make a pound for fourteen varieties grown 

 at the sub-station of Foothill. According to Thomas Beck, a Watson- 

 ville grower, the varieties ' Commercial ' and ' Languedoc ' are the most 

 resistent and productive. Mr. J. A. Sladky, another grower, recom- 

 mends further the variety ' Jordan,' which originally sprang from 

 Malaga, as resistent to frost and of excellent quality. He advises 

 planting Bitter or Wild Almonds amongst the others, so as to facilitate 

 fertilisation of the latter, which yield better fruit as a result of crossing. 

 The cryptogamic disease known as " leaf-blight " seriously attacks the 

 foliage, so as often to leave the trees quite bare in the middle of summer, 

 for which it is necessary to syringe the trees every fortnight with a copper 

 solution. " Red Spider " is treated in the same way. — W. C. W. 



Aloe Oligospila. By J. G. Baker (Bot. Mag. tab. 7834).— Nat. ord. 

 Liliacece, tribe Aloinece. Native of Abyssinia. It was raised from seed 

 by Mr. Lynch at Cambridge. Its nearest ally is A. obscura of the Cape. 

 The perianth is pale red, tippod with green, less than 1 inch in length. 



G. H. 



Aloe pendens. By A. Berger (Bot. Mag. tab. 7887).— Nat. ord. 

 Liliacece, tribe Aloinece. Native of Arabia. It bears a long raceme of 

 pale rose-coloured flowers. — G. II. 



A A 2 



