114 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



chemistry of these and similar bodies. Flower-honey contains a much 

 larger amount of water and more saccharose than bee-honey, which last 

 contains dextrin, nitrogen, and formic acid. None of these substances 

 occur in the flower-honey. 



The fodder-hairs resemble pollen in containing fatty acids .and 

 nitrogenous substances, but are much richer in nitrogenous material. 



The wax of Ornithidium is used, in his opinion, for propolis ; it both 

 guides larger insects to the flower and also keeps off unbidden guests 

 which often get stuck on the sticky surface. It is especially flowers that 

 have no p}llen to spare that produce it. — G. F. S.-E. 



Forest Scenery of Cameroons. By Dr. F. C. von Faber (Beih. 

 Bot. Centralbl. xxiii. 2 te Abth. Heftl, pp. 26-42).— Dr. von Faber gives a 

 very readable account of the vegetation of this part of tropical Africa 

 illustrated by five good photographic plates. 



The rainfall at Bibundi reaches the enormous amount of 11. 900-65 

 millimetres, which is one of the heaviest known in the world. The chief 

 peculiarity of the vegetation is the rich rain-forest or tropical wet jungle 

 which ascends the mountains sometimes to 2,000 m. altitude or in 

 ravines to 2,700 m. 



There are clear and interesting descriptions of the mangrove creeks 

 and of the way in which the mangroves give place to other plants 

 when the soil level becomes higher than that of ordinary high tides. This 

 first vegetation consists chiefly of Baphia palms, with Pandanus, Phoenix 

 spinosa, and Botanga. There are also many interesting details about the 

 oil palm and its cultivation, Cola, the silk-cotton tree and other useful 

 plants. — G. F. S-E. 



Freezing, Fall and Early Winter Injuries to Orchard Trees 

 and Shrubbery by. By A. D. Selby (Agr. Exp. St. Ohio, Bull. 192; 

 figs.). — This buUetin goes fully into the unprecedented damage done 

 to orchard trees and shrubs during the unusually severe winter of 1906-7. 

 The losses were most pronounced upon young apple orchards ; the per- 

 centage of seriously injured trees ran extremely high and with certain 

 varieties was astonishingly large. The investigations will no doubt prove 

 extremely valuable in determining which varieties of apple are most 

 suitable for withstanding severe frosts, and under what conditions of 

 growth and soil, and other surroundings, they are safest from injury. 



A. D. TV. 



Frost, Notes on. By E. B. Garriott (U.S.A. Dept. Agr., Farmers' 

 Bull. 104, 1908). — In the States protection against severe frost is very- 

 essential, as it often means saving the life of acres of plants and trees, 

 and also makes it possible to put an early and paying crop on the market. 



This protection is applied to orchards, berry plantations, and 

 vegetables, and is effected in different ways according to situation, extent 

 of land, and duration of frost. Irrigation, flooding, and spraying with 

 water, by supplying moisture to the air, lessens danger from frost. 

 Smudge fires, produced by burning damp material such as straw, manure, 

 or prunings are a recognized means of protection, and should, to be 

 efficacious, be numerous and well distributed. 



