NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



627 



NOTES AND ABSTEAOTS. 



Ag'ave, Dasylirion, Bonapartea, and Besehorneria. By 



E. de Noter {Rev. Hort. Beige, p. 301, Sept. 15, 1911; p. 309, Oct. 1, 

 1911; p. 326, Oct. 15, 1911; p. 348, Nov. 1, 1911; p. 358, Nov. 15, 

 1911; p. 394, Dec. 15, 1911). — A descriptive list of all the species 

 of the above genera, with notes on their suitability to certain positions. 

 The series of articles is continued in later numbers of the Revue. 



M. L. H. 



Agrricultural Possibilities of the Canal Zone. By H. H. 



Bennett and W. A. Taylor {U.S.A. Dep. Agx., Bur. Soils and PI. 

 Ind., Rep. 95; March 1912; map and 12 plates). — The canal zone 

 comprises a strip of land ten miles wide and forty-five miles long, 

 extending from Colon to Panama, with the canal running through the 

 middle. It is at present almost unused except for the most primitive 

 patch agriculture. It is expected that with the opening of the canal 

 there will be a large demand for garden and dairy produce to supply 

 passing steamers and the white population engaged in its maintenance. 

 It is considered that the most promising line upon which to commence 

 will be to develop a permanent mixed tropical agriculture with a dis- 

 tinct horticultural trend, while a most important part of the work will 

 be the introduction, selection, and raising of varieties of plants suited 

 to the climatic and soil conditions of the country. — A. P. 



Anabasis, A Cushion-Plant. By Hans Hauri {Beih. Bot. Cent. 

 Bd. 28, pp. 323-421; 2 plates and 22 figs.).— This is a detailed 

 anatomical and physiological study of Anabasis aretioides Eoq. et Ooss., 

 a " polster " or cushion-plant of the Algerian Sahara, and a discussion 

 regarding cushion-plants in general. 



The microscopical structure of the leaves, stem, and root 

 is of a most unusual character, and is very fully described by the 

 author. He also describes fully the way in which the compact hemi- 

 spherical surface (which is further filled up by sand into a solid mass) 

 enables it to resist the constant wind with sand particles (a sand blast) 

 in a hot and arid climate. 



He considers that it obtains water by the root, and is in every 

 particular adapted to retain water strongly. 



The plant contains much hemicellulose and allantoin (albumi- 

 noids), and the ash (amounting to 18'58 per cent, of dry weight) con- 

 tains nearly 50 per cent. CaO. 



The paper should be of great interest to ecologists. — G. F. S. E. 



Ants, To Destroy. By Dr. Baudin {Rev. Hort. Beige, p. 324; 

 Oct. 1, 1911). — A certain means of banishing ants is said to be the 



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