NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



265 



Lilacs. By W. J. Bean (Garden, No. 1799, p. 253 ; May 12, 1906).— 

 Garden varieties of lilac, which now constitute one of the most beautiful 

 groups of hardy shrubs, are derived from two species of Syringa only. 

 These are the common lilac (.S'. vulgaris) and the Persian lilac (5. persica). 

 It is to the former of these that the finest of the garden varieties owe 

 their origin, although some of the hybrids between it and the Persian 

 lilac are very delightful, notably the old Rouen lilac. — E. T. C. 



Lime, Value of, in Soils. By J. J. Willis (Gard. Chron. 

 No. 1027, p. 160; Sept. 1, 1906).— There seems to be no doubt that 

 there is an annual loss of lime in most soils. Ordinary garden soils, 

 which contain upwards of one per cent, of lime, are said to lose nearly 

 nine hundredweight per acre every year. How the waste may be made 

 good is discussed in this paper. — G. S. S. 



Liparis chrysOPrhea (Le Jardin, vol. xx. No. 453, p. 2; Jan. 5, 

 1906). — The United States Government have lately purchased 10,000 

 nests of this pernicious caterpillar in order, it is hoped, by introducing 

 nests from France containing ichneumon larvae to eradicate the pest. 

 The parasitic ichneumon which preys upon the chrysalides does not exist 

 in America. — F. A. W. 



Love in a Mist (Nig-ella). By W. Irving {Garden, No. 1781, p. 8 ; 

 Jan. 6, 1906j. — In all there are about ten species belonging to this genus, 

 and all found in countries bordering on the Mediterranean-, with one or 

 two in Western Asia. Of these only two are worth a place in the border, 

 N. damascena and N. hisimnica, while the rest are more botanical 

 curiosities than ornamental flowers. They are of easy culture, and may 

 be grown in any good garden soil. When the seed is sown in the open 

 border in March they come into flower in July, but if required in bloom 

 earlier in the year the seeds may be sown in the autumn, and the 

 seedhngs will usually stand the winter well. — E. T. C. 



Manganese {Le Jardin, vol. XX. No. 457, p. 76; March 5, 1906).— 

 Further experiments with manganese prove it to have a favourable action 

 on vegetation. When two equal areas were treated with the same foods, 

 a quantity of sulphate of manganese, equivalent to 50 kilos, per hectare, 

 being added to one of them, it yielded 22^ per cent, more in the total crop, 

 17'4 per cent, in the weight of grain than the other. The experiments might 

 be worked out advantageously upon rose trees and fruit trees. — F. A. W. 



Marigolds, The Marsh. By W. I. {Garden, No. 1800, p. 268 ; 

 May 19, 1906). — Most of the members of this small family of plants greatly 

 resemble one another in habit and flowers. They are spread all over the 

 north temperate regions, usually growing in damp meadows and waterside 

 places. In our native marsh marigold we possess one of the brightest 

 and best of early-flowering bog plants, and those who are planning the 

 formation of a bog garden will do well to make free use of this when 

 planting. Its favourite position, where it grows most luxuriantly and 

 produces the largest flowers, is in valley bottoms of black muddy soil on 

 the edges of streams or often partly submerged. Under these conditions 



