NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



173 



2910). — Metallic poisons, such as mercuric chloride, are difficult to 

 remove even after repeated rinsings in water. Hydrogen peroxide was 

 found efficient in eliminating bacterial contamination, and less harmful 

 in its residual effects than other disinfectants tested. To sterilize 

 them the seeds were treated for 30 minutes with full-strength (3 per 

 cent.) commercial hydrogen peroxide. — F. J. C. 



Seeds, Chemistry of. By W. Zaleski {Beih. Bot. Cent. Bd. 27, 

 Abe. i. Heft 1, pp. 63-82). — A series of experiments bearing on the 

 chemistry of ripening seeds is described. These show that albuminous 

 substances are produced at the cost of other nitrogenous material, such 

 as amido-acids, amides, &c. Neither light nor a moist atmosphere 

 affects this process ; nor is it stopped by absence of oxygen. He thinks 

 that, in germination, the processes of ripening are reversed. 



G.F.S.E. 



Senecio saxifrag-oides {Bot. Mag. t. 8394).— New Zealand. 

 Family, Compositae; tribe, Senecionideae. Herb, perennial. Leaves 

 radical, oblong or nearly orbicular, 3-5 inches long. Scapes, up to 

 1 foot high, branched. Heads almost corymbose, 1^ inches across, 

 yellow. — -G. H. 



Septobasidium, Note on the biology of. By T. Fetch {Ann. 



Bot. XXV. p. 483 ; July 1911). — An interesting case of the destruction 

 of scale-insects by fungi. Species of the fungus genus Septohasidiuni 

 frequently cause alarm in the tropics by clothing the stems of tea- 

 bushes, mangos, and other trees. The author shows that in Ceylon 

 the fungus always grows parasitically on colonies of scale-insects, which 

 are overgrown and destroyed. The same doubtless holds good for other 

 parts of the tropics. — A. D. G. 



Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata). By Henry S. Graves {U.S.A. 

 , Dep. Agr., Forest Service, Circ. 182). — This is a valuable conifer in the 

 Southern States, and the timber, which is light, straight-grained, and 

 1 easily worked, is largely used as building material. On rich soils the 

 I growth is rapid, a diameter of 12 inches at 6 feet in height in 

 : forty years being not uncommon. — A. D. W. 



Siam, Flora of. By. Dr. 0. 0. Hossens {Beih. Bot. Cent. Bd. 

 ;28, Abt. ii. Heft 3, pp. 357-457). — In this paper a nearly complete list 

 |of the plants collected by the author in that country during 1904 and 

 1905 is given, as well as references to various papers published else- 

 i^v'here. 



The rainy season is from mid-May to mid-October; the cold period 

 asts from October to February, and the hot season from beginning of 

 kfarch to May. 



The flowering period is during the rains. The flora is closely related 

 Uith that of Burmah, but has extremely slight affinity with that of 

 jlalaya. A new genus of Eaffieriaceae, RichtJioyenia, is one of the most 

 literesting discoveries, especially as this genus occupies an intermediate 



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