NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



539 



sulphur yellow ; M. S. Hottet, orange yellow. The shape of the flowers 

 also varies, some being helicoid, others tubular, &c. A striking feature of 

 these hybrids is the fact that they travel well as cut flowers, and last ten 

 to fifteen days in water. — F, A. W. 



Germination, Abnormal, in Peranum Harmala. By J. W. Bews 

 {Trans. Bot. Sci. Edin., 1908, part iv. pp. 342-3 ; 1 pi.). — A description 

 of germination of these seeds under abnormal conditions — namely, in 

 a germinator at 30° C. — E. A. Bd. 



Gladiolus GandavensiS. By Joseph Jacob {Garden, March 20, 

 1909, p. 141). — The article contains a good account of the history and 

 principal raisers of these bulbs. — H. B. D. 



Gooseberry Disease (Botrytis cmerea). By F. W. Hammond 

 (Garden, April 24, 1909, p. -197). This disease is causing considerable 

 destruction in many gardens and plantations. It is first noticed in 

 summer, when the edges of the leaves on affected plants look brown and 

 scorched ; in winter the young wood appears withered and dead. The 

 mycelium first attacks the sappy shoots, and passing downwards kills the 

 shoot. The disease is propagated by summer spores. For remedy, 

 spray with Bordeaux Mixture as soon as the fruit is gathered ; in winter 

 prune back to sound wood, and burn all affected prunings ; in spring 

 syringe with sulphide of potash. 



The writer suggests \ oz. or 1 oz. sulphide to the gallon of water, but 

 this seems strong for young growth. — H. B. D. 



' Gooseberry Pests. By C. Doublesel (Le Jard., vol. xxiii. No. 533, 

 p. 133; May 5, 1909 ; 2 figs.). — Some insects, such as the caterpillar of 

 Abraxas grossulariae (white with pronounced spots), are common to many 

 kinds of fruit-trees and only appear three or four on a bush, doing com- 

 paratively little damage. Others, however, like the larvae of Nematus 

 grossularia (the so-called " false caterpillars " of four-winged flies), are 

 less conspicuous, and far more abundant and destructive. Many 

 larvae may be found on a single leaf, and they entirely strip the tree in 

 their ravages. They are greyish-green in colour, with twenty legs (" real " 

 caterpillars having only sixteen legs), and roll up the end of their body 

 when touched. These must be picked off by hand in April and in 

 August, as they have two generations, otherwise they drop to the ground 

 when fully developed and spin cocoons. 



Sesia tipuliformis is more partial to red and white currants. It pro- 

 duces a whitish caterpillar, hatched in July, which buries itself in the 

 young wood till the spring, when it resumes its work of eating arid 

 burrowing till the branches are killed, when the moth emerges from the 

 cocoon in April or later ; it perforates the bark at the end of the tunnel 

 in which the chrysalis was concealed, and flies off, leaving the empty 

 chrysalis case in the tunnel. — F. A. W. 



Grape, The Control of Black Rot of the. By C. L. Shear, G. F. 

 Miles and L. A. Hawkins (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. PL Ind., Bull. 155 ; 



