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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



regions is the perfect water drainage which can be obtained at httle 

 or no expense, as well as some amount of natural irrigation ; while the 

 atmospheric drainage reduces the damage to blossom by frost to a 

 minimum.. The greater part of the bulletin is taken up with instruc- 

 tions as to laying out and planting a mountain orchard, while the 

 subsequent cultivation of the soil and the forming of the trees is also 

 dealt with. — A. P. 



Apple Production. By A. D. {Garde?i, Dec. 25, 1909, p. 628).— 

 The export of English apples to the United States is noticed. — H. R. D. 



Armillaria mucida, The Biology of. By 0. E. C. Fischer 

 (Ann. Bot. xxiii. Oct. 1909, pp. 515-533; 2 plates).— The hfe history 

 of this fungus — the White Agaric of Beech — as grown in artificial 

 cultures is described. Growth takes place rapidly in the usual culture 

 media, and in bread cultures sporophores were readily obtained. The 

 time elapsing between sowing the spores and the ripening of the sporo- 

 phores in pure cultures varied between fifty-one and 109 days. No 

 secondary spore-forms were observed. 



With regard to the relationship of the fungus to the host, efforts to 

 infect living beech failed, and the author was unable to confirm previous 

 statements as to its parasitism. At the same time it is possible that 

 A. viucida is a facultative parasite. The fungus readily reduces ligniri 

 to cellulose, and on account of its injurious effect on timber should be 

 vigorously combated. — A. D. C. 



Armillaria mucida, The Development of the Fructifica- 

 tion of. By 0. G. E. Fischer {Ann. Bot. xxiii. 1909, pp. 503-507; 

 1 plate). — The paper gives a short account of the structure and develop- 

 ment of the fruits of this common beech parasite. The author finds 

 that it agrees with Agaricus campestris as described by iVtkinson, rather 

 than with Hartig's account of A. mellea. The marginal veil is not an 

 aftergrowth, but formed by the neutral issue which is present from 

 the beginning. The origin of the hymenium is endogenous. The 

 mucilaginous coating of the pileus is due to the degeneration of the 

 surface tissue. — A. D. C. 



Army Worm, The Semi-tropical. By F. H. Chittenden and 

 H. M. Eussell {U.S.A. Dep. Agr. Bur. of Entom. Bull. 66. part 5; 

 Jan. 1909; figs.).— This pest {Prodenia eridania Gram.) is confined to 

 semi-tropitfal America as a pest, having spread from weeds to garden 

 crops of various sorts. It is a smooth caterpillar which migrates in 

 armies when numerous ; and like its near relatives, the surface cater- 

 pillars, it may be controlled by means of arsenical sprays when on 

 plants on which these may be safely used. 2 lb. to 3 lb. of lead 

 arsenate in 50 gallons of water makes a suitable application. — F. J. C. 



Arsenate of Lead, Analyses of. By P. Eankin Scott {Jour. 

 Dep. Agr. Vict., December 1909, p. 753).— The analyses of fourteen 

 samples are given. All the samples were found true to name, and little 



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