11.0 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



The "wilt fungus" is reported as Neocosmospora vasinfecta (Atk.). It 

 lives in the earth on decaying organic matter until it encounters the small 

 feeding roots of the Cotton, which it enters. The fungus penetrates the 

 vascular system of the root and grows upwards into the stem. A 

 rotation of crops must be worked out in detail for each farm to fit its 

 particular needs. — M. C. G. 



Cultivation — Soil. — By Andrew Elliott (U.S.A. Dept. Agr., Maine, 

 vol. vii. ; Dec. 1908. — Emphasizes the importance of deep and thorough 

 cultivation. — C. H. L. 



Cuscuta Seeds, Distinctions. By H. von Guttenberg (Nat. Zeit. 

 Land-Forst, Vol. 7, pp. 32-43, figures 1-7, January 1909).— The 

 difficulty in distinguishing various species of dodder in clover seeds is 

 pointed out, and a method is described for identification by means of 

 miscroscope-sections through the seed-coat. The figures give anatomical 

 details ; but, as pointed out later (p. 176), the titles of certain figures have 

 been interchanged. — W. G. S. 



Cycas Mieholitzii (Bot. Mag., tab. 8242). — Nat. ord. Cycadaceae; 

 tribe Cycadeae ; Indo-China. Stem 2 feet high, H-4 inches thick ; 

 leaves 2-3, erect, 8-10 feet long, f -1 inch wide ; male cone, narrow- 

 cylindric, 6-7 inches long, with yellow scales. — G. H. 



Cyclamen Disease (Le Jardin, vol. xxii. No. 513, p. 204 ; July 5, 

 1908). — Hcterodora radicicola, cyclamen pest, is considered by 

 M. Pylion, Professor of Agriculture at Ferrara, to come like many 

 fungoid diseases from the indiscriminate use of compost of heather 

 and chestnut leaves. Sterilization of earth and pots is recommended, 

 or carbon bisulphide in the proportion of 60-100 grammes per metre 

 cube of compost. — F. A. W. 



Daphne, The Genus. By Emile Cadeceau (Le Jardin, vol. xxii. 

 No. 513, p. 199 ; July 5, 1908 ; 1 fig.). — A plea for the introduction 

 of Daphnes, other than the D. Mezereum and its white var. albida. 

 Among those cultivated by M. Lalande, at Malville, near Nantes, are 

 Daphne japonica, which is, however, evergreen and perfectly hardy, 

 forming (at Nantes) bushes nearly 5 yards in circumference and covered 

 with sweet-scented blossoms. The leaves have a yellow margin. 



D. odora differs from D. japonica in being only half-hardy. Flowers 

 less abundant, but deliciously sweet. 



D. DaupMni, with purple flowers, is quite hardy in France. 



Other species dealt with are D. chevrum, D. Verloti, D. alpina, and 

 D. Fortunei.—F. A. W. 



Datura meteloides. By F. L. Pyman and W. G. Reynolds (Jour. 

 Chem. Soc. vol. xciii., Dec. 1908, pp. 2077-2081). — An investigation showed 

 •4 per cent, alkaloids present, including -13 per cent, hyoscine, *03 per cent, 

 atropine, and -07 per cent, of a new alkaloid, which the authors have named 

 " meteloidine " ; some of the properties of this substance they have 

 investigated, but purpose further research. — W. A. V. 



