NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



81? 



with long soft hairs ; leaves 1^-3 inches long ; flowers solitary or in 

 threes; corolla dark red, f inch across the reflexed lobes. — G. H. 



Plant Breeding, Methods of. By G. W. Oliver {U.S.A. Dep. 

 Agr., Bull. 167; 34 pp., 15 plates). — A paper of very great value to 

 those engaged in hybridization. 



The crossing of Compositse and the difficulties they present in 

 emasculation led the author to try the effect of spraying, the pollen- 

 covered pistils with a small jet of water. This entirely clears away all 

 pollen grains without in any way injuring the pistil. The emasculation 

 of such flowers as lettuce is next door to impossible, and the author 

 claims his method renders it unnecessary. The anthers are allowed' to 

 dehisce, and the pollen is then entirely washed off. The small water 

 bulbs and jets as used by dentists are recommended. The manipulation 

 of many flowers — alfalfa, dahlias, pansies, clovers, &c., &c. — is dealt 

 with in an exhaustive manner, and is illustrated with many photographs, 

 showing " before and after treatment." We have not seen any work 

 which gives in a small compass so much practical advice as to the 

 manipulations of plant breeding. — E. A. Bd. 



Plant-Bug- Pests. By W. W. Froggatt {Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. 

 Feb. 1910, pp. 151-152). — Crops have suffered from attacks of the 

 Eutherglen bug {Nysius vinitor), the brown ground bug {Dictyotus 

 plehijus), the cherry bug (PeltopJwra pedicellata),. and the bronzy- 

 orange bug (Stilida indecora). The remedy is to spray with kerosene 

 emulsion under and over the leaves. A large shallow vessel containing 

 kerosene is held under the fruit trees, and each branch tapped with a 

 stick wrapped with sacking. Fumigation with hydrocyanic-acid gas 

 destroys the bronzy-orange bug. — S. E. W. 



Plant Diseases. By T. H. Johnston {Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. vol. xxi. 

 pt. vi. pp. 563-566; 2 plates). — Irish Blight in Tomatos. — The fungus 

 Phytophthora infestans, which produces Irish blight in potatos, is easily 

 communicated to tomatos, destroying their leaves and attacking the 

 fruit. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture is recommended in the case 

 of the potatos. All diseased tomato plants should be burnt. The packing 

 of one infected tomato may lead to the destruction of the whole case. 



Scab on Apples. — Apple scab, or " black spot," is produced by 

 Fusicladium dendriticum. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture is recom- 

 mended. Coniothecium chromatosporum attacks apples, making their 

 skins rough and scaly. Sometimes the apples crack. — S. E. W. 



Plant Diseases and Pests, Recent Advances in our Know- 

 ledge of (Gartenflora, vol. lix. pt. xvi. pp. 353-360). — Bacillus 

 spongiosus attacks the bark of cherry trees, causing gumming and the 

 sudden death of branches or of the whole tree. This fungus also 

 attacks plums and apricots. It is spread by the pruner using an 

 infected knife. Pruning instruments should be disinfected by immer- 

 sion in a 1 per cent, solution of carbolic soap. 



VOL. XXXVI. 3 H 



