NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



281 



Branches containing air taken from actively transpiring trees show 

 a much greater resistance to flow than when saturated with water ; and 

 with increasing heads the rate of flow does not increase proportionately. 



A coloured liquid will rise slowly in a saturated stem kept in a 

 saturated atmosphere, but a somewhat slower ascent is shown after the 

 stem has been killed, so that the phenomenon is not the result of any 

 vital pumping action, and must be capable of physical explanation, 

 although in a saturated stem it cannot be due to capillarity or imbibition, 

 and is too rapid to be the result of diffusion. 



No appreciable rise of sap took place in a tree devoid of its leaves, 

 but a pumping action may only be excited when the leaves are exerting 

 suction on the water in the wood. — A . D. C. 



Tuberous Solanums, New Examples of Mutation in. 



{Rev. Hort., Dec. 16, 1909, p. 562). — The wild Solanum Commersonii 

 in the hands of M. Planchon, of the Montpelier University, after four 

 years' constancy to type, produced tubers of two kinds, viz. normal 

 and much larger ones about -^-pound weight, of a yellowish colour, 

 with deep eyes and smooth skin, thus displaying a great modification. 

 Both sets oi tubers being planted, the apparently normal ones pro- 

 duced plants differing 'slightly from the wild type, " demi-mut^es, " 

 while the others yielded quite different plants, completely resembling 

 S. tuberosum. Dr. Haeckel, of Marseilles, reports that continued 

 experiments with S. Maglia have resulted in the production of varied 

 tubers tending more and more towards those of the cultivated S. tubero- 

 sum. The results, though two species were concerned, were practically 

 identical as resembling those of a third. — C. T. D. 



Tulips, A New Race of Branchingr. By Eev. J. Jacob (Garden, 

 Nov. 13, 1909, p. 554 and fig.). — This race of branching tulips was 

 obtained by Mons. Clermont Ferrard. It has from three to five flowers 

 on the main stem. — H. R. D. 



Turnips, Increase in Weig^ht of. By G. Eiviere and Y. Bail- 

 hache {Jour. Soc. Nat. Hort. Fr. Nov. 1909, p. 652).— Tabulated results 

 of experiments, showing the comparative weight of turnips at different 

 stages of growth, noted with the leaves and without, at certain stated 

 intervals; tbe idea being to ascertain at what period of the growth of 

 the plant any added nourishment is taken up by the foliage and when 

 by the root. — M. L. H. 



Ulmus eampestris {Die Gart. 65, p. 776). — A very interesting 

 specimen, said to be considerably over 1,000 years old; is found near 

 the village of Schimscheim, in the Ehine district. It has a circum- 

 ference of 15*5 metres, known by the peculiar name of The Eathhaus 

 (Townhall), owing to the fact that during the summer the representa- 

 tives of the village assemble here and discuss the local affairs. — G. R. 



Vaccinium, Species of. By W. J. Bean {Gard. Chron. xlv. 

 (1909), pp. 49, 74, and 83). — The species of Vaccinium that have 



