NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



Apples from the Crimea. By E. A. Meyer {Gartenflora, vol. Ixii. 

 pt. xxii. pp. 489-491). — 'SarySinap' is extensively grown on the coast 

 of the Black Sea and in the north of the Crimea as a dessert Apple. 

 The barrel-shaped fruit is gathered in September and is fit for use in 

 November. The freshly gathered Apples are green, but change to 

 yellow when ripe. This Apple is a robust grower, but does not bear 

 large crops before its fifteenth year. It generally comes true from 

 seed. It is seldom attacked by insects or by disease, and is free 

 from American blight. 



* Kandil Sinap ' has a finer flavour than ' Sary Sinap.' The fruit is 

 wedge-shaped and has a fine red colour. The harvest begins in 

 August and the Apples keep till February. It is a robust grower; 

 forming tall pyramids which are laden with fruit. The branches are 

 supported by stakes in July to prevent the wind bringing down the 

 crop, as the Apples are heavy and their stalks are thin. — S. E. W. 



Asparagus Beetle, A Parasite of. By H. M. Russell and F. A. 

 Johnston {Jour. Econ. Entom. v. p. 429 ; Dec. 1912). — 'The life-history 

 of Teirastichus asparagi is detailed. The parasite lays its eggs in those 

 of the asparagus beetle, and the larvae develop in the larvae of the 

 asparagus beetle. The adult parasite also does much good by feeding 

 upon the eggs of the beetle. — F. J. C. 



Asparagus plumosus, Sensitive Life of. By F. C. Newcombe 

 (Beth. Bot. Cent. xxxi. Abt. i, Heft i, pp. 13-42). — Seedling shoots 

 grow to a height of 10-15 cm., and then bend the last 3-5 cm. into 

 a horizontal or plagiogeotropic position. These seedling shoots, when 

 grown in the dark, still do this, and their lateral buds unfold. Twining 

 shoots from rhizomes grow erect for 40-60 cm. and then twine, rising 

 for one to several metres. They then become horizontal and the 

 buds unfold. All their branches take the same horizontal or dia- 

 geotropic position. If grown in the dark they do not twine but grow 

 directly upwards, even for 200 cm. or more. If placed in the dark 

 after being in the light they can for at least eight days take the dia- 

 geotropic position, but cannot do so if never exposed to the light. 



The horizontal or oblique position is an effect of gravity (dia- 

 geotropism), not of Hght ; but all kinds of shoots are positively heho- 

 tropic. 



They make a complete revolution in from two to eight hours, which 

 may be either clockwise or in the opposite direction. When placed 

 in the dark they stop twining in three days. 



On the klinostat, diageotropy is not manifested and the branches 

 develop like those of A. officinalis — that is, when the klinostat axis 

 is horizontal and the light is equalized. 



The spinous nodal scales of the main axis are used in nature 

 as hooks to support the shoot, and they develop equally well in 

 darkness. 



The buds unfold in seedling shoots grown in the dark, possibly 



