NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



263 



by its own pollen, by pollen from another flower on the same plant, or 

 by pollen from a closely related plant (father, mother, brother, or cousin). 

 He points out that wheat, oats, barley, and tobacco are habitually self- 

 fertihsed, while maize and hemp are normally cross -fertilised. The object 

 of the present paper is "to call attention to the use, as well as to the 

 danger, of inbreeding in the production of varieties giving the maximum 

 yield and value." A few cases of self-fertilised, cross -fertilised, and 

 open-fertilised plants are described, and the effect of such methods of 

 fertilisation on the vigour of constitution and the productiveness of some 

 of the more important cultivated plants is shown. The author considers 

 that there is great need for careful experimenting in order to ascertain 

 exactly what effect the various degrees of inbreeding produce on the 

 offspring, and suggests that the improvement of our crops can be most 

 rapidly effected with permanently beneficial results by following the 

 practice of inbreeding or crossing to the degree in which these methods 

 of fertilisation are found to exist naturally in the kind of plant under 

 consideration. — F. J. C. 



Jasminum primulinum : its History and Culture. By E. H. 



Wilson (Gard. Chron. No. 1021, p. 44 ; July 21, 1906).— This plant was 

 recently introduced from China by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. It is a 

 native of the province of Yunnan, where it grows at an altitude of from 

 4,000 to 6,000 feet. The author gives a very interesting account of the 

 attempts which have been made at various times to introduce this plant 

 into England and of the climate &c. of the district in which it grows. 



G. S. S. 



Kniphofias and their Culture {Gard. Chron. No. 998, p. 81 ; 

 February 10, 1906 ; and Nos. 999 and 1000).— In this series of articles on 

 the genus Kniijliofia, or Tritoma, the name by which it is perhaps more 

 commonly known, the names of the species and varieties are given in 

 alphabetical order, with short descriptions and notes. The best means 

 of cultivating plants belonging to this genus are also mentioned. — G. S. S. 



Larix leptolepis. By D. R. (Gard. Chron. No. 1035, fig. 118; 

 October 27, 1906). — The Japanese larch is found to succeed very well in 

 this country. It grows very rapidly, and compares most favourably 

 with the native larch when grown under the same conditions, and this is 

 a most valuable qualification. A short time since I inspected a consider- 

 able number of young plantations on a large property in England, where 

 I had the opportunity of seeing both species growing side by side. Both 

 kinds had done well, but the difference in their annual growth was 

 remarkable — that of the native species averaged eighteen to twenty-four 

 inches and" the Japanese from thi^fee to four feet. In ten years the 

 whole of the native larches in these plantations will be completely 

 overshadowed by their more vigorous neighbours." It appears that 

 L. leptolepis withstands the salt-laden winds near the shore better than 

 our native species. — G. S. S. 



Larkspurs, The. By T. B. Field (Garden, No. 1799, p. 258 ; 

 May 12, 1906). — Larkspurs maybe divided into two classes, the annual and 

 the perennia^l. The annual larkspurs are the crossbred descendants of 



