NOTES AND AESTKACTS. 



305 



very handsome forms — 1 Souvenir de Henri Henkel,' scarlet throughout, 

 flowers elongated, as in Fuchsia fulgens; 'Robert Blatry,' calyx white 

 with rosy tips, corolla deep rose ; and ' Sylvan,' a very handsome, bold 

 flower, calyx rich scarlet, corolla semi-double, white with scarlet stripes, 

 very floriferous. Three others are described as very meritorious, viz. 

 ' Theroigne de Mericourt,' flower double wifch short sepals, bright red, 

 petals snow white, tinted red at base, forming a compact ball ; ' Victorien 

 Sardou,' flowers very double, sepals erect and recurved, brilliant red, petals 

 deep violet red at base ; and ' Perfection,' flowers single, sepals recurved, 

 deep red, and petals magenta. — C. T. D. 



Fumes, Injury to Vegetation and Animal Life by Smelter. 



By J. K. Haywood (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. of Chem., Bull. 113; May 

 1908). — The vegetation was injured by a distance of from eight to twenty 

 miles around a smelter owing to the fumes of sulphur dioxide evolved ; 

 arsenic was also discharged from the smelter and was found in forage 

 crops in sufficient quantities to poison cattle. Copper contained in the 

 water of a river flowing by the smelter also greatly injured vegetation. 

 Junipers proved more resistant to the fumes than most trees. — F. J. C. 



Geotropy. By W. Grottian (Beih. Bot. Centralbl. vol. xxiv. Abth. 1, 

 Heft 3, pp. 255-285 ; April 1909). The author found that very low per- 

 centages of anaesthetics (*5 per cent, to *01 per cent, ether) stimulates growth 

 and sensitiveness. Increased sensitiveness to geotropy resulted from rather 

 higher percentages, 3 per cent, amyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol, 15 per cent, 

 ether, and 20 per cent, chloroform. With still higher percentages all 

 sensitiveness ceased although a feeble growth was maintained. 



The experiments were conducted on lupine seedlings in an atmosphere 

 saturated with the respective vapours. The author repeated, but could 

 find no confirmation of Czapek's results with antiferment reactions 

 on stimulated and unstimulated roots. — G. F. S.-F. 



Gerbera Jamesoni Hybrids. By R. Adnet (Rev. Hort., May 16, 

 1909, pp. 230-233 ; coloured plate and figs.). — An interesting article 

 on cultivation and new acquisitions. The plate represents several very 

 fine forms, unnamed, bright yellow with pink under side, salmon, red and 

 purple, obtained by hybridization (G. Jamesoni x G. iridifolia). Require 

 very sunny positions, rich light soil, and good drainage. The hybrids 

 are much hardier than G. Jamesoni, and more resistant against wet 

 seasonal conditions, which are fatal to that species. — G. T. D. 



Germination and Light. By E. Heinricher (Bot. Zeit. vol. lxvii. 

 Abth. 1 , Heft 4, pp. 45-66). — The author's experiments with seeds of 

 Phacelia tanacetifolia show that germination is possible in light, 

 although a much larger percentage of the seeds germinate in darkness. 

 In the dark 46 per cent, germinated, in blue light 39 per cent., in ordinary 

 light 18 per cent., and in red light 8 per cent. By transferring the 

 cultures from light to darkness, or from the red glass to the blue, 

 a further number could be induced to germinate. Seeds germinated in 

 the same year (two months after ripening) in darkness, but not in light. 

 These results point to some photo-chemical effect of certain rays of light. 



