NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



149 



Strawberry Test Plot and Strawberrries. The Newer 

 Varieties. By F. H. Ballow (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Ohio, Bulls. 178 and 

 186, 1906 and 1907). — The bulletins contain careful descriptions and 

 photographs of new varieties, together with a record of flowers (perfect or 

 imperfect), date of first blossom, first ripe fruit, period of heaviest 

 fruiting, largest single picking in quarts, last picking, total yield in quarts 

 for season, of some 120 sorts of strawberry. — C. H. H. 



Strawberries, Three New. By M. Houssy (Lc Jar din, vol. xxii. 

 No. 520, p. 317 : October 5, 1908 ; 1 fig.). 



1. Gemma, out of 1 Louis Gauthier ' x ' Saint Joseph.' Bemarkably 

 vigorous, and constant fruiter. Large berries, white, shading pink — oval 

 in shape. 



2. Mirabilis. — Same origin as Gemma, but distinct variety. Equally 

 vigorous, but of more compact habit. Very precocious, free bearer. 

 Admirable for forcing. Berries are finer than Gemma, pale pink shading 

 red. Perhaps more abundant in the first year, but Gemma fruits better 

 in its second season. 



3. Suavis, from 1 Sharpless ' x ' Saint Joseph.' Distinguished for size 

 and flavour rather than for quantity of berries. Deep red. Rather 

 susceptible to drought. — F. A. W. 



Sumac, Commercial Sicilian. By F. P. Veitch (U.S. Dept. Agr. 

 Bur. Chem. Bull. 117). — As a vegetable tanning material Sicilian Sumac 

 has perhaps no equal for pale colours and soft tannage, and consequently 

 is extensively used for moroccos, roans, skivers, &c, and for brightening 

 the colour of leather tanned with dark materials. 



The Sicilian Sumac (Wins corioria) is a small shrubby bush, native 

 of Sicily and Tuscany, and succeeding best on soil of a calcareous nature. 

 The leaves from which the tannin matter is extracted are collected about 

 the beginning of July and left lying on the field till partially cured, care 

 being taken that they are not unduly exposed to rain or intense sunshine. 

 There is much valuable information given as to the means by which 

 adulteration of the Sumac is detected, and lengthy tables as to the 

 chemical and microscopical examination of the samples that were 

 furnished.—.!. D. W. 



Thermotropism of Flaxplant. (Beih. Bot. Centralbl, xxiv., Erste 

 Abth., Heft 1, pp. 111-131 ; with 6 figures). — The flax is very sensitive 

 to heat, and shows very interesting curves and bendings which are fully 

 investigated by Herr Josef Pohl in this paper.— G. F. S.-E. 



Timber Trees in the Cameroons. By A. Engler (Not Kdnig. Bot. 

 Berlin, Appendix xxi., No, 1, pp. 1-8; 4 plates). — The following trees 

 (order Olacaceae) are prized by the natives on account of the hard- 

 ness of their wood : — Ongkea Camerunensis, Strombosia grandiflora, S. 

 Scheffleri, S. glaucescens, Strombiopsis tetrandra and Coula edulis. 

 The seeds of the last are eaten raw or roasted. — S. E. W. 



Tree Planting" (The Quarterly Journal of Forestry, January 1909). 

 — "Kecent Progress in Afforestation " contains much that is practical and 

 to the point, while " Tree planting in Towns," though not going fully 



