NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



Smilacina paniculata [Bot. Mag. tab. 8539). — Guatemala and 

 Southern Mexico. Nat. Ord. Liliaceae, Tribe Polygonateae. Herb. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate and acuminate, 5-6 inches long. Panicle 

 terminal, 3 inches long, 2 inches broad. Many snowy-white flowers, 

 J inch across. — G. H. 



Soil Fertility, Maintenance of (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., Ohio, Bull. 120). 

 — Summary of results of experiments reviewed in Bulletins 182--3-4 

 (1906), Circular 83 (1907), 92 (1908), 104 (1909), 114 (1910).— C.CP. C. 



Soils for Glasshouse Work, Partial Sterilization of. By 



E. J. Russell (Jour. Bd. Agr. vol. xxi. No. 2, pp. 97-116; 3 figs.). — The 

 report describes the work done in continuation of that dealt with in 

 the previous reports which appeared in the " Journal of the Board of 

 Agriculture " in January 1912 and January 1913. 



The methods available for partial sterilization fall into two classes : 

 (i) treatment by chemical means ; (2) various heating methods. 



During 1913 the chemical method was further investigated in an 

 experiment with tomatos in pots. The same antiseptics were used as 

 before, and in consequence they can now be classified rather more 

 accurately than was previously possible. The grouping arrived at is : 



Class L — Most effective — Formaldehyde, pyridine. 



Class II. — Cresole, carbolic acid, calcium sulphide, carbon disul- 

 phide, toluol, benzol, petrol. 



Class III. — Least effective — -Naphthalene, &c. As in the earlier 

 experiments, the plants on the partially sterilized soils made the best 

 growth and gave the largest quantity of early fruit. After a time, 

 however, the feeding, which was commenced after the fruit " set, " began 

 to equalize matters, and in the end there was little difference in the 

 final yield. Examination of the roots showed that eelworm had not 

 developed to any marked extent in the untreated soils, and the disease 

 factor was much less in evidence than in previous years. The experi- 

 ment demonstrates that partial steriHzation serves to supply food 

 when diseases no longer intervene. Formaldehyde is distinctively 

 promising, but it costs $d. per lb., while carbolic acid can be obtained 

 below i:\d. per lb. For the moment, therefore, carbolic acid has the 

 advantage as an agent for commercial use. 



For the present none of the chemical agents is as effective as heat 

 for nursery work. During 1913 a number of trials was carried out 

 in nurseries in the Lea Valley, and the results confirm the earlier 

 laboratory work and pot experiments at Rothamsted and show that 

 useful crop increases can be obtained by adopting partial sterilization 

 methods in commercial establishments. No two men heated their soils 

 in quite the same way ; roughly speaking, however, the methods 

 adopted fell into four groups : i. Hot water ; 2. Baking ; 3. High- 

 pressure steam ; 4. Low-pressure steam. The hot water gave satis- 

 factory results in some cases, but it is not clear exactly what the effect 

 was, for flooding with cold water has been found beneficial in some 



