3G1 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICHLTUJUL SOCIETY. 



every part of the British Isles, will be of considerable value to foresters 

 and others in this country. The average results of tests as to the 

 strength of the timber when compared witli that of other trees is 

 highly instructive. — A. D. W. 



Dune Plants, Evaporation of. By George Damon Fuller (Bot. 

 Gaz. pp. 193-208, Sept. 1911; 6 ligs.). — On the sand-dunes of Lake 

 Michigan the first association to colonize moving dunes consists of the 

 Cottonwood {Popiilus deltoides), Salix (2 spp.), Prunus pumila, and 

 Amviopliila arenaria. As the dune becomes fixed, a Pine association 

 (Pinus Bafiksiana, Jtmiperiis 2 spp., Arctostaphylos, Rhus spp., and 

 seedling Oak) replaces the Cottonwood. The third stage consists of 

 Black Oak (Quercus velutina), dominant with Priinus, Rosa, Viburnum, 

 and several herbaceous plants. 



The final or " climax " deciduous forest is a Beech-Maple asso- 

 ciation with Tilia, Ostrya, Prufius, &c. 



Instruments recording evaporation were placed in all these asso- 

 ciations, and results measured weekly or fortnightly from May to 

 October. 



The results were as follows: — 



Average per day Maximum Minimum 



Cottonwood Association 



c.c. 

 . 21 



c.c. 



35 



c.c 



10 



Pine Dune .... 



. 11-3 



17-5 



4 



Oak Dune .... 



. 10-3 



19 



5 



Beech-Maple Forest . 



. 8-1 



12 



3 



This brings out very clearly the severity of conditions in the Cotton- 

 wood dunes, which are 260 per cent, as severe for plant life as those 

 in the Beech-Maple association. 



Only xerophytic plants can endure these conditions, and probably 

 any increase in the vegetation depends mainly on subterranean 

 branches, for very few of the seeds are able to germinate. — G. F. S. E.\ 



Echinopsis minuscula, Wei. By R. Roland Gosselin 

 (Rev. Hort. pp. 84-85, Feb. 16, 1912; coloured plate).— The plate 

 represents a remarkably pretty dwarf Cactus, forming flattened spheri- 

 cal papillose thorny masses, which produce abundant offsets. Thesej 

 are a little on the lines of Sempervivum arachnoideum, but withoutj 

 the web. Small crimson tubular flowers are freely produced. The 

 seed germinates freely and growth appears to be more, rapid than with 

 cacti generally, and, with protection under dry conditions during the 

 winter from October to May, they can then be transferred to the open 

 and constitute pretty border plants. — C. T. D. 



Elliottia racemosa {Bot. Mag. t. 8113). — South United States 

 Family Ericaceae; tribe Rliodoreae. Shrub or small tree, 20 feel 

 high. Leaves oblong, SJ-l inches long; inflorescence terminal, 6-l( 

 "inches long; corolla white, 5-6 lin. long.— C/. H. 



