334 JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Nitrogen Bacteria and Legumes. By C. G. Hopkins (U.S.A. 

 Exp. Stn. Illinois, Bull. 94, 2/1904 ; 5 figs.). — An account of the 

 manner in which nitrogen is taken up by plants, and the part played by 

 the bacteria inhabiting the nodules of plants belonging to the Leguminosce, 

 is given. It is pointed out that in general each species of leguminous 

 plant has its own particular form of bacterium which produces nodules 

 upon its roots, and that unless these particular bacteria are present in the 

 soil no nodules will be formed and the crop will suffer from lack of 

 nitrogen. The bacteria must, therefore, if the soil lacks them, as it will 

 if the crop has never been grown on that soil before, be added — the soil 

 must be inoculated with the bacteria. The bacteria do not thrive on 

 acid soil, and it is well to treat the soil with ground limestone in order to 

 correct any acidity. It is not known how long these bacteria will survive 

 in a soil without a leguminous crop upon which they can feed : certainly 

 for two or three years, but probably for not more than five or six 

 years.— F. J. C. 



Nuclear Division in the Pollen Mother-cells of Lilium cana- 



dense. By C. E. Allen (Ann. Bot. xix. April 1905, pp. 189-252; 

 four plates). — L. canadense was chiefly studied, and L. tigrinum and 

 L. longiflorum were used for comparison. 



The heterotype division is first dealt with. The threads of the 

 spireme during synapsis fuse in the form of two parallel strings. These 

 become convoluted and undergo longitudinal fission. A second longi- 

 tudinal fission is said to occur later. The homotype division is normal. 

 The paper concludes with a discussion on the bearing of the reduction 

 division with heredity. — A. D. C. 



Nut Weevils. By F. H. Chittenden, Sc.D. (U.S.A. Dep. Agr. Year 

 Book, 1904, p. 299 ; plates). — Nut-growing would, of course, be a much 

 more profitable industry were it not for the insects which inhabit the 

 kernels, rendering them unfit for food. The chestnut and some others 

 suffer much more than walnuts and almonds. The chestnut crop 

 suffers the greatest loss, and the chief depredators are the larvse of 

 weevils. It is estimated that in the United States the damage done 

 annually by weevils to chestnuts is about 25 per cent. The larger 

 species (Balaninus proboscideus) and lesser (Balaninus rectus) are 

 fully described, with illustrations. A natural enemy of the weevil is a 

 small four- winged, wasp-like fly, a Braconid parasite (Urosigalphus 

 armatus). The most practical remedy that can be suggested is the early 

 destruction of the "worms" in the nuts by means of bisulphide of 

 carbon, and the observance of clean orchard management and other 

 cultural methods. — V. J. M. 



OdontOg-lossum ramulOSUm. By R. A. Rolfe (Bot. Mag. tab. 

 8031).— Nat. ord. Orchidacece, tribe Vandece ; Colombia, An epiphytic 

 herb, 1^ ft. high. Scape 2^-3 ft. long, panicled. Flowers yellow and 

 spotted with purple, f in. long. — G. H. 



(Enotheras naturalised. By H. Stuart Thompson (Journ. Bot. 

 506, p. 62; 2/1905). — A record of the establishment of the Patagonian 



