370 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in the special case o'f Xaniliiuni (with which this paper deals) there 

 are two sorts of seed (upper and lower) in the same head, and these 

 behave differently through differences in the seed-coats. 



The digestive enzymes of birds favours the germination of seeds in 

 some cases ; light is also a factor of which the action is not yet under- 

 stood. 



The author soaked Xanthium seeds for twelve hours in iced water 

 and removed the seed-coats. His experiments were carried out with 

 refined apparatus and with very great care. The " upper " seed at 

 21° 0. required at least 12 mm. of oxygen, the lower 9.5 mm. 



After-ripening is not apparent in any alteration of germination at 

 ordinary temperatures and ordinary atmospheric pressure. The seeds 

 of Xayithium lose the power of germination in a very few years. 



G. F. S. E. ■ 



Gladioli, Improvement of Foliage of {Bev. Hort. p. 27, 



Jan. 16, 1912).— A raiser of Gladioh, M. A. E. Kunderd of Chicago, 

 recommends selection of improved foliage as well as of the blooms 

 only, since it can thus be rendered ornamental by increase of size, 

 length, or width, improvement of colour, and even variegation. The 

 stems of the flower spikes are also open to coloration by selection, and 

 perfumed flowers are suggested as obtainable by same means. 



C. T. D. 



Gloxinia, A Hybrid large-flowered. By F. Bern {Rev. Hort. 

 pp. 36-37, Jan. 16, 1912 ; coloured plate). — The plate represents a 

 magnificent flower about 4 inches across, 8 segments, colour brilliant ii 

 crimson with light pink margin, tube deep, streaked mauve inside, ! 

 outside pale mauve slightly suffused with yellow ; very handsome. No i 

 name given. Eaised by Vilmourin, Andrieux & Co. — G. T. D. 



, - Gooseberry Pest, A New. By W. J. Goverts {Gartenfiora,\ 

 vol. Ixi., pt. h., pp. 40-43; fig.). — Pulvinaria vitis lives as a! 

 parasite on the young and the old wood of the vine. It is also found 

 on pear-trees and gooseberry-bushes. The reddish eggs of this scale 

 insect may be observed in summer, covered with silky web, protruding^ 

 from under the scale of the female. The larvse crawl about the bush,j 

 but soon settle down adhering to the plant. The male exudes a scalej 

 and then passes into a pupa, and eventually into a winged insect. Itj 

 is only one-ninth of an inch in length, and is provided with two delicata 

 wings and six legs terminating in claws. The body ends in two longj 

 bristles. The wingless female is 0.3 inch. long. It is covered with f| 

 reddish brown scale w^ith black spots; the mouth consists of fouB 

 bristles, which can penetrate the epidermis of the plant and reach thej 

 sap. After pairing the female degenerates, losing its legs andj 

 antennae. To destroy this pest brush the stems of the bushes, apply 

 tobacco extract, and wash with lime-water. — S. E. W. 



Graft Hybrid, A New {Rev. Hort. p. 27, Jan. 16, 1912).—^ 

 Bobinia, R. glutinosa, grafted by Dr. Udo Dammer of Berlin on B 



