NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



As these sand-hills are, to begin with, quite bare of any covering, it is specially 

 necessary to see that the sand is properly fixed before carrying out any planting. 

 First of all, the sands for some distance to the west of where it is proposed to 

 plant are fixed with marram grass. The grass is transplanted from places where 

 it is growing thickly. As it possesses great vitality, much care need not be 

 taken in the operation. It is simply inserted in holes made in the sand, when 

 it quickly produces long runners and spreads rapidly. In the area where the 

 planting is to take place, spruce branches are laid down with their ends inserted 

 in the sand on the windward side. 



The cost of planting is not high : — 



s. d. 



Cost of labour an acre . . . . . . • • .100 



Cost of carting brushwood, 4 loads an acre . . . . . .40 



Plants, 4s. 6d. a thousand . . . . . . . 13 0 



Total . 27 o 



Or, say, 30s. an acre exclusive of fencing. — A. D. W. 



Scale Insects of New South Wales. By W. W. Froggatt (Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. 

 vol. xxv. pp. 875-882, 983-989 ; 7 figs.). — A descriptive list of Scale Insects 

 attacking plants in New South Wales. — 5. E. W. 



Schizandra Henryi. By W. J. Bean (Kew Ball. 1914, p. 52). — A deciduous 

 climbing shrub introduced from China through E. H. Wilson, with white flowers 

 and coriaceous shiny leaves. — F. J. C. 



Seeds, Maximum Age of Germination (Queensland Agr. Jour. p. 235; April 

 1914). — Ralph L. Watts, Professor of Horticulture in the Pennsylvanian State 

 College, gives : — Artichoke 2 years, Asparagus 2, Beans 3, Beet 4, Cabbage 3, 

 Carrot 1, Cauliflower 4, Celery 2, Cucumber 5, Egg Plant 5, Endive 2, Kale 2, 

 Kohlrabi 3, Leek 3, Lettuce 4, Muskmelon 5, Okra 4, Onion 1, Parsley 1, Parsnip 1, 

 Pea 3, Pepper 3, Radish 2, Salsify 2, Squash 3, Tomato 5, Turnip 4, Watermelon 5. 



He gives as the average percentages of germination of one-year-old seed : — 

 Asparagus 90, Bean 90, Beet 140 (botanically a fruit, often containing more 

 than one seed), Cabbage 90, Carrot 80, Cauliflower 80, Celery 60, Maize 85, 

 Cucumber 85, Egg Plant 75, Lettuce 85, Muskmelon 85, Okra 80, Onion 80, 

 Parsley 70, Parsnip 70, Pea 90, Radish 90, Salsify 75, Spinach 80, Squash 85, 

 Tomato 85, Watermelon 85. — C. H. H. 



Shrubs in Winter, Care of. By Henri Chevalier (Rev. Hort. Beige, No. 3, 

 Feb. 15, 1 91 4, p. 53). — An important part of management of flowering shrubs 

 is the pruning. The time and the manner of this pruning vary with the habit 

 of each plant. Lilacs, Deutzias, Forsythias, and Diervillas, which flower on the 

 wood of the year before, should, if possible, be pruned as soon as they have done 

 flowering, at the end of Juhe. Roses, Hydrangea paniculata, Ceanothus, Des- 

 modium, &c, which flower on the current year's wood, should be pruned either 

 in winter or spring. Some trees require hard pruning, others only enough to 

 keep them within bounds, or to remove weak or over-vigorous and non-flowering 

 growth. It will be found of great advantage to apply a mixture of eight parts 

 superphosphate, four parts sulphate of ammonia, four parts sulphate of potash, 

 to all shrubberies in the spring at the rate of 1A-2 oz. to the square yard: 



M. L. H. 



Sodium Manuring, Effect of, on the Composition of Plants. By B. L. 



Hartwell and P. H. Wessells (U.S.A. Exp. Sin., Rhode Island, Bull. 153, 

 March 191 3). —Discusses the effect of sodium manuring as an addition to, or 

 a substitute for, potassium salts. 



A number of root crops were chosen for the experiments, the results obtained 

 being very variable. Beets showed as much as 25 per cent, increase in yield, 

 with a very slight decrease in average sugar content, but on the whole crop the 

 total of sugar obtained was much larger. 



On the other hand, mangels, onions, and potatos gave a reduced yield in 

 consequence of the addition of sodium salts. — C. P. C. 



Soil Analysis. By E. J. Russell, D.Sc. (Jour. Bd. Agr. xxii. 2 ; May 1915). 

 Analysis is the method adopted by expert advisers for obtaining certain informa- 

 tion about a soil. It includes chemical, physical, and bacteriological observations, 

 and may be accompanied by general field observations. Field investigations 

 are too laborious for ordinary use, and shorter methods are necessary which 



