226 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ripening stage of the fruit, nor for some time previous to its being 

 plucked from tlie trees. — C. H. H. 



Asplenium micpotum. By W. E. Maxon {Contr. jr. U.S.A. 

 Herb. xii. (1909); pt. 9; plate). — A fern included by Dr. Christ under 

 A. Trichonianes, collected by Dr. Henry at Mengtse, Yunnan, at an 

 altitude of 6,000 feet.— F. J. C. 



Atmospheric Impurities and Vegetation. By Prof. J. B. 

 Cohen and A. G. Huston {Gard. Mag. No. 2928, December 11, 1909). 

 — In a lecture on this subject at the Leeds Health Congress the authors 

 pointed out that the blackening of vegetation was due to the tarry 

 matter in soot, which is very great in industrial districts. More 

 damage, however, is done by sulphurous fumes, which sometimes, in 

 the form of sulphuric acid, amount to as much as 10 parts per 100,000. 

 Timothy grass was grown in boxes and watered with water containing 

 very small quantities of sulphuric acid. Growth was immediately 

 checked, the plants soon turning yellow and dying.— E. B. 



Bacterial Diseases of Plants. By Walter G. Sackett {U.S.A. 

 Exp. Stn. Colorado, Bull. 138; January 1909). — ^This bulletin calls 

 attention to some of the more common bacterial diseases of plants 

 which are either present in the State or may be expected in the future. 

 Where remedies are known they have been suggested, but for the 

 majority of bacterial diseases no efficient treatments have been dis- 

 covered, and prevention is the only hope. 



The diseases mentioned are: Bacterial Disease of Alfalfa, p. 4; 

 Pear Blight, p. 6; Soft Eot of Sugar Beet, p. 14 ; Black Eot of Cabbage, 

 p. 15; Blight of Potato, Tomato, Egg Plant, and Tobacco, p. 19; 

 Bacteriosis of Beans, p. 21 ; Wilt of Cucumber, Cantaloup, and Squash, 

 p. 22.— y. G. J. 



Beet-sugar Industry in 1908, Report on (U.S.A. Dep. 

 Agr., Rep. 90, June 1909). — A report on this industry in the United 

 States from the commercial side. 



Hints are given in a short section on the management of the 

 crop and. on the latest machines in use for the subsequent manufac- 

 ture of the sugar, but the paper consists chiefly" of accounts of the 

 relative importance of the crop in the different States, and of compara- 

 tive tables of the production of beet-sugar in America and in Europe. 



M.L.H, 



Begronia *Patrie.' By S. T. Grignan {Rev. Hort. Sept. 16, 

 1909, pp. 426-428; 2 illus. and col. plate).— Described as somewhat 

 similar to ' Gloire de Lorraine,' but of more compact habit and 

 denser inflorescence. The foliage is larger, colour deeper, and cultiva- 

 tion much easier. According to the coloured plate, a very desirable 

 acquisition in winter-flowering begonias. — C. T. D. 



Big Trees of California {U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Div. Forestry, 

 Bull. 28, 1900). — A most interesting illustrated account of the Sequoia 



