NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



571 



desert hundreds of miles inland. The author finds the amount of salt in 

 the soil inconsiderable except on the surface. " When salt is found it has 

 been deposited as spray from the sea, but this is rapidly washed out by 

 rainwater, and when no precipitation has fallen, the sodium chloride does 

 not come into contact with the ground water but is detained on the 

 surface by the upward movement of the water." 



Even on the middle beach there is under the surface a continuous 

 stream of rainwater, which is slowly working its way to the sea, and which, 

 " being lighter than salt water, flows on top of the latter." 



" There appears to be a certain maximum amount of salt for every 

 species to which it is very accurately adapted and this maximum cannot 

 be overstepped without fatal results to the plant." Some experiments of 

 the writer show that this maximum varies from 1*9 per cent. (Potentilla 

 anserina) to 3 # 1 per cent. (Atriplex hastata maritima). On the other hand, 

 plants from strands with low salinity were more sensitive than those 

 from very salty shores. 



The author also found that in patches of Ammophila armaria the soil 

 temperature was almost invariably from two-tenths to six-tenths of a 

 degree higher than when Elymus arenarius occupied the ground. 



These extracts may give some information as to the scope of this 

 paper. The photographs are for the most part very clear (fig. 10 appears 

 to be upside down).— G. F. S.-E. 



Viburnum eotinifolium. By B. Othmer (Die Gart., p. 140; 

 March 20, 1909). — A handsome shrub from Nepaul at 2000 to 3000 

 metres altitude. The leaves are leathery, hairy beneath, the flowers small, 

 produced in umbels and pink tinged. Flowering about the end of May. 



G.B. 



Vines, Pruning* of. By G. Kiviere and G. Bailhache (Jour. Soc. 

 Nat. Hort. Fr. March 1909, p. 194). — Tables are given, with the analysis 

 of sugar and acid content per litre of must from tested vines, showing 

 that every leaf up to five leaves left above the second bunch of grapes on 

 each fruiting shoot largely increases the sugar and diminishes the acid in 

 the grapes on that shoot. With any number of leaves over five the 

 amounts of sugar and acid remain, stationary. — M. L. H. 



Vriesea regina. By O. Krauss (Die Gart., Sept. 18, 1909, p. 445).— 

 The author figures and describes a remarkable and splendid specimen 

 flowering at the Palmen-Garten in Frankfort-on-Maine. About 30 

 years ago this plant was acquired under the name of V. Glaziouana, and 

 although it grew and developed it never flowered until last year. 

 Seeds of this species were first collected in Brazil by Dr. Wavra, who 

 accompanied Prince Maximilian on a journey to Brazil about the year 

 1860, and the plant now flowering was raised from these seeds. The 

 specimen figured has a diameter of 2-30 metres and a height of 3*45 

 metres, and the inflorescence has a length of 1*70 metre. The leaves are 

 nearly 3 feet long and 6 inches broad, bright green beneath and glaucous 

 on the surface. The flowers are large, white, fragrant, reminding one 

 of the Lemon. The floral bracts are extremely bright purple, internally 

 greenish. Dr. Wavra writes in Les Bromeliacces bresiliennes that he 



