NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



223 



the Mediterranean. In other words, they have been endeavouring in 

 America to cultivate common hicerne far north of its ancient haunts, 

 and, though the process is fairly successful in regions where there is the 

 protection of an abundant snow-fall, no pure strain of Medicago sativa 

 has yet appeared sufficiently hardy for the large area of the Prairie 

 Noi-thwest, where the most severe cold occasionally comes with no 

 snow on the ground. 



To fill up this evident want, the writer of this bulletin was 

 despatched by his Department on a series of adventurous journeys 

 through Siberia, Turkestan, Western China, and Manchuria, where he 

 had already discovered the existence of some native lucernes, and where 

 the climatic conditions bore a fairly close resemblance to those of the 

 American Northwest. As a result of these expeditions he was able to 

 collect seeds of several hardy varieties, which he hopes will eventually 

 remove the existing difficulties. He also brought back some varieties 

 of clover which he thinks should prove valuable. 



He holds that the botanical name alone is no guide as to the constitu- 

 tion of any plant. Hardiness is sometimes a peculiarity of individual 

 species, sometimes the result of some unsuspected cross; but before 

 starting to try to breed a plant suited to quite other conditions than 

 those to which it has been accustomed, it is as well to find out whether 

 Nature, who has plenty of time, has not somewhere been already at 

 work in the same direction, and is not, perhaps, in a position to do away 

 with the need of many years of costly experiment. — M. L. H. 



Apple and Pear Scab. By P. J. Carmody {Jour. Dep. Agr. Vict., 

 September 1909, p. 685). — Spray with Bordeaux mixture before the 

 petals of the bloom expand, and when the spray can run along the 

 stems of the flower. As some varieties of apples russet under the 

 action of this spray — notably Jonathan, Sturmer, Ben Davis, Cole's 

 Rymer, etc. — it would be as w^ell for growlers to try the self-boiled lime 

 and sulphur spray after the fruit has set, especially such fruit as is 

 not unduly liable to black spot. This mixture must be properly made 

 as directed and only good lime used, with no cooking of the sulphur, 

 otherwise serious damage to the foliage will ensue. It is wise to test 

 a tree or two before generally adopting this spray. ~C. H. H. 



Apple Culture in Mountain Reg^ions. By W. N. Hutt {U.S.A. 

 Dep. Agr., N. Carolina, Bull. vol. xxix. No. 8, August 1908* 4 figs.). — 

 The author maintains that the apple tree in its soil and fertihzer 

 requirements differs little from a forest tree, and that where a natural 

 forest is taken off the mountain slopes in the south a plantation of 

 fruit trees can profitably succeed it, producing fine trees and more 

 highly coloured and better-flavoured fruit than can be obtained from 

 lower lands in the north, which are equally cool but less sunny, the 

 ! mountain regions of the south getting the clear air and abundant sun- 

 shine of that latitude without that excessive heat which is detrimental 

 to the apple. Another advantage favouring apple culture in such 



