148 JOURNAL OF THE KOYAL H OKTIC ULTUK AL SOCIETY. 



Peach,— Stock raised from peach stones is generally the best ; selecting 

 stones from medium sized mid-season varieties. In some districts almond 

 makes the best stock. 



Plum.— The Mussel' plum stock is generally best; other varieties 

 used include the ' Julien,' the seedling plum stock, also 'La France' a 

 variety of the Myrobalan cherry plum, upon which Diamond and Orleans 

 plums succeed well. 



Cherry. — The ' Mazard ' and ' Mahaleb ' stocks used in Europe do not 

 suit Victoria. There, a small red cherry of the ' Montmorency ' section, 

 much like a ' Kentish,' is found to be the best suited : it is a good cooking 

 variety, and pleasant to eat ; it acts as a dwarfing stock. 



Pear, — The stock most generally adapted for the pear is the seedling 

 pear stock, raised from the hardiest known kinds. Pear suckers are a 

 bad stock. 



A small variety of quince, 1 Angers,' is successful. As there are but 

 very few kinds of pears that do well when worked directly upon this 

 quince, it is usually necessary to double work, using first such kinds as 

 'Beurre d'Amanlis,' 'Louise Bonne of Jersey' or 'Beurre Diel ' upon the 

 quince ; allowing them to make one growth, and then working upon these 

 the desired sort, when perfect health and vigour will be attained. 



a h. h. 



Stokesia cyanea praecox. By G. T. Grignan (Bev. Hori, 



February 16, 1909, pp. 83-85 ; coloured plate and illustration). — A 

 very pretty large Aster-like flower, 3^ inches across, lilac-tinted, with 

 conspicuous white stamens, hardy, somewhat dwarfer than type, does best 

 with southern exposure. — C. T. D. 



Stomata. By Sophia H. Eckerson [Bot. Gaz., xlvi., September 

 1908, pp. 221-224). — According to the author the stomata of well-watered 

 greenhouse plants are widely open about 10 a.m.. and in favourable 

 weather remain so until about 2.30 p.m., when they begin to close. They 

 are fully closed by 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. On hot days in the spring they may 

 shut even at 12 noon because of incipient wilting of the leaf. 



The author recommends Chrysanthemum, Tradescantia, and Pelar- 

 gonium zonale as the best common greenhouse plants for observing the 

 stomata. A list is given of the number of stomata to the square millimetre 

 and of length and breadth in microns in the cases of thirty-seven green- 

 house plants.— G. F. S.-E. 



Strawberry and Raspberry distributed for trial from Ex- 

 periment Station. By V. P. Hedrich and 0. M. Taylor (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. New York, Bull. 298).— As the result of ten years' work in breeding 

 new varieties, three new kinds of strawberry and four varieties of raspberry 

 are recommended for trial. The conditions are that the plants, six of 

 raspberry, twelve of strawberry, of each variety, are given free, carriage 

 being paid by the grower, he to keep the varieties true to name, give them 

 good care, and report on the behaviour of the varieties from time to time 

 until the value of a variety for a locality is determined. The parentage 

 and careful description of each variety is given, with photographs of the 

 fruits.— C. H. H. 



