NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



261 



growth, and the same cHmate as tobacco and cotton, and an abund- 

 ance of Hme in the soiL Being leguminous, the nodules increase the 

 store of nitrogen, provided the roots are left in the soil. The different 

 varieties are " Virginia Bunch " and the climbing form (has large nuts), 

 " Spanish " (smaller nuts, but richer in oil), *' Tennessee Eed " (rich 

 in oil, but dark in colour), &c. 



Peanut oil resembles olive oil and cotton-seed oil, coming between 

 the two, and is frequently added to both in order to lower or raise 

 their respective quality. The nuts (or peas) are largely used in making 

 candies. Ground fine they constitute peanut butter. The damaged 

 nuts and waste products make excellent feed for stock, but it is liable 

 to become rancid very quickly. 



Much of the commercial peanut oil is manufactured at Marseilles 

 from nuts grown on the coast of Africa. These are very rich in oil — • 

 as high as 50 per cent. When cut and cured, peanut hay is almost 

 equal in feeding value to the best clover hay. — C. H. L. 



Pear-leaf Mite (Phy tortus piri). By L. Chasset {La Pom. Frang. 

 October-November 1909, pp. 347-349). — This mite lives inside galls 

 which open on the under side of the leaf. They are almost inaccessible 

 to all insecticides ; they hibernate in cracks in the bark of the tree. The 

 winter treatment recommended is lime sulphur, composed of water, 

 12 litres; quicklime, 2 kilos; flowers of sulphur, 500 grams to 1 kilo. 

 Boil for half an hour, let cool, and paint the tree with it. In spring, 

 when the leaves begin to unfold and the insects have not yet entered the 

 leaves, spray with one of the following mixtures : (1) 1 litre of the 

 above-mentioned sulphur and lime wash strained through a cloth, adding 

 50 or 60 litres of water; (2) ordinary tobacco juice, 1 litre to 15 or 20 

 litres of water; or (3) concentrated tobacco juice 500 grammes, soft soap 

 1 kilo, water 100 litres. Bichloride of mercury sprayed in spring has 

 aJso been found to lessen the number of Phytoptus ipiri. — C. H. H. 



Pecans. By W. H. Hutt {U.S.A. Exp. Sin. N. Carolina, Bull. 30, 

 No. 9; Sept. 1909; 25 figs.). — A preliminary report of observations 

 and researches during the last three years on the subject of pecan 

 culture in North Carolina. ' ' The pecan tree is a native of the southern 

 Mississippi valley; in geographical distribution it thrives wherever the 

 cotton does, and in the matter of soils it is as cosmopolitan as the 

 strawberry. " 



" Among the nuts that yield the greatest amount of nourishment 

 pecans stand almost first, the edible portion of the nuts containing 

 12-1 protein, 11-12 carbohydrates, 70' 7 fat, 1*6 mineral matter, and 

 3--1 water."— F. G. J. 



Perception of Light in Plants. By Harold Wager {Ann. Bot. 

 vol. xxiii. July 1909, pp. 459-488; 2 plates).— It is well known that 

 the stimulus which causes the foliage leaves of many plants to place 

 themselves in such a position as to receive the fullest advantage from 



