310 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



leaves of Phragmites which happened to be in contact with a brick wall 

 were wet with dew in the morning, and were subsequently attacked by 

 fungus parasites. The ordinary leaves, which were always in motion, 

 remained dry and were unaffected. — G. F. S.-E. 



Mendelism as applied to Sweet Peas. By William Cuthbertson 

 (Gard. Mag. No. 2885, and No. 2886, vol. lii. pp. 131 and 148 ; Feb- 

 ruary 13 and 20, 1909). — The author briefly sketches Mendel's laws 

 and shows how they apply to the raising of new varieties of Sweet Peas. 

 He points out how time may be saved in fixing new varieties. — E. B. 



Metals, Fertilizing 1 Action of. By H. Martinet (Le Jard. xxiii. 

 528, p. 51 ; February 20, 1909). — In Belgium experiments are being 

 made by Mons. Henri Michiels and P. du Heen which go to show that 

 metals may act on plants as ferments, stimulating nutrition and germi- 

 nation. Manganese is already adopted as a fertilizer, and now the same 

 properties are claimed for zinc, aluminium, tin, and magnesium. 



F. A. W. 



Mieroeaehrys (Bot. Gaz. vol. xlvi. p. 466; December 1908). — Mr. Boyd 



Thomson describes the curious winged pollen-grains and remarkable 

 prothallial tissue of this conifer. — G. F. S.-E. 



Movements of lower Organisms at low Temperatures. By 



E. C. Teodoresco (Ann. Sc. Nat. vol. ix. Nos. 4-5, pp. 231-274 ; 4 figs.)— 

 At a temperature of 0° C. the protoplasm in the cells of the higher members 

 of the vegetable kingdom, e.g. Elodea, Tmdescantia, Tolypellopsis, ceases 

 to move. On the other hand, lower organisms, such as diatoms, infusoria, 

 rotifers, continue to move when exposed to a temperature of 5° to 12° 

 below zero. 



The zoospores of Dunaliella may even be cooled down to a tem- 

 perature between 17° and 22 - 5° below zero before they cease to move. 



S. E. W. 



Mushroom, A poisonous. By G. F. Atkinson (Bot. Gaz. vol. xliv. 

 pp. 461-463 ; December 1908 ; two figs.). — Description and illustrations 

 of Tricholoma venenatum. This fungus produced violent and hemorrhagic 

 vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, and some cardiac disturbance lasting 

 several hours at Bochester, Mich. — G. F. S.-E. 



Naegelia, New Hybrid of. By Eugene Vallerand (Rev. Hort., 

 June 1, 1909, pp. 255-257 ; coloured plate and 1 illustration). — The 

 plate represents a plant and a number of very diverse flowers, all very 

 handsome. They form erect-growing somewhat lax trusses of Pentstemon- 

 like flowers, surmounting handsome bold and somewhat pendulous cordate 

 serrate leaves. The flowers shown are pure scarlet, yellowish-white 

 throats, corolla white ground suffused and dotted with deep red; deep 

 salmon with white patches dotted with same colour ; crimson with deep 

 yellow throat dotted with crimson and bright yellow, minutely dotted 

 with pink. Recommended as worthy companions of ' Gloire de Lor- 

 raine ' Begonia, Primula obconica, &c. Winter-flowering. Specially 



