562 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of Saxifrages, pointing out that there is not infrequently more difference 

 between certain species than between established genera, but that these 

 differences are physical and vegetative rather than what the author 

 terms analytical. Such, e.g., are presented by the Dactylo'id, Umbrosa, 

 Kabschia and Aizoon groups. S. longifolia, the most beautiful of the genus, 

 belongs to the Aizoons. Its sterile rosette takes several years to develop 

 into the flowering state, and may have as many as 100 leaves. The 

 development is always vertical. The magnificent flower spike may be over 

 60 cm. in height and bears hundreds of flowers, which last for more than 

 a month. The ripening of its seeds signals the death of the plant, as 

 this variety never produces the lateral rosettes common to its congeners. 

 Unfortunately the plant is apt to hybridize with others of the genus, and 

 the seedlings too often degenerate. If, however, the central spike be 

 amputated before flowering, auxiliary, lateral rosettes will be developed. 

 S. Cotyledon is another lovely species, easier to cultivate. It does not 

 form such close, serried rosettes, but there is free production of lateral 

 buds, and the flowers are very abundant. It is also more hardy than 

 longifolia. — F. A. W. 



Saxifraga StibnryL By E. H. Jenkins (Garden, May 1, 1909, 

 p. 212). — A rare Saxifrage with closely imbricated rosettes of greyish 

 leaves, similar to S. Griesbachii. Flowers of a reddish hue, the g]andular 

 pubescent stems being of the same colour tone. — H. B. D. 



Seedling- Trees, To Hasten Fruiting- of. By E. Baltet (Jour. Soc. 

 Nat. Hort. Fr., April 1909, p. 289). — A careful and detailed account of 

 the method of cultivation by which the long period of eight to fifteen years 

 which it has hitherto taken seedling pears and plums to attain fruiting 

 age may be appreciably shortened. — M. L. H. 



' , Seed Selection. By A. D. Shamel (U.S.A. Dept. Agr. Year Book, 

 1907, pp. 221-236 ; 5 plates). — A lengthy article showing in a striking- 

 manner the greatly raised average secured by stringent seed selection in 

 tobacco and maize— E. A. Bd. 



Seed-Sowing- and the Cold Weather. By A. D. (Garden, March 

 13, 1909, p. 130). — Attention is called to the advantage to be gained by 

 taking the temperature of the soil to a depth of 12 inches before sowing 

 seeds in spring. — H. B. D. 



Slug's, A Cure for. By Orange (Garden, May 29, 1909, p. 262).— 



Powdered alum is stated to be an absolute remedy, and less trouble to 

 use than soot or lime (same writer, June 26, p. 311). The alum 

 should be powdered fine and put into a flower-dredger, and sprinkled round 

 (not on) the plants to be protected, or over the border before planting. 

 If put on the plants it does not hurt them, but dries in white patches. 



H. B. D. 



Smuts. The Loose Smuts of Barley and Wheat. By E. M. 



Freeman and E. C. Johnson (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. PL Ind,, Bull 152, 

 July, 1909 ; plates).— Two different fungi produce smut in wheat and 

 two others in barley : the smuts dealt with in the present paper are those 



