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JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



surface exposed by the evergreen leaves as a whole renders it necessary 

 for the individual leaves to be xeromorphic in form and xerophytic in 

 structure. This type of structure enables these Coniferae to live in 

 regions where there is a season of physiological drought, in situations 

 varying from dry dunes to moist forests, and from Arctic and Alpine 

 situations to the Tropics. 



The tracheidal structure of the wood is well suited to the xerophytic 

 evergreen leaves. It is not a bar to progress and to the adoption of 

 the deciduous habit, for in the larch a rapid transpiration current flows 

 through it and the leaves transpire rapidly. The tracheidal structure 

 of the wood more probably provides the conifer with a safety mechanism 

 that is a defence against extinction. 



With regard to the third problem the author considers that conifers 

 are more easily deranged and killed by sudden injuries, and are attacked 

 by, a larger number of serious fungus and insect foes than are dicotyle- 

 donous trees. To their greater vulnerability and smaller powers of 

 repairing injuries we may at least partially attribute the defeat and 

 extinction of many conifers in past ages. — A. D. C. 



Coniothyrium Fuckelii, Parasitism of. By P. J. O'Gara. 

 {Phytopathology i. pt. 3, pp. 100-102; June 1911; plates).— This fun- 

 gus is recorded damaging apple twigs and young apple trees, producing 

 canker spots, the surface of which showed numerous minute pycnidia. 

 It was also found on rose and cross inoculations were carried out. A 

 rot is produced by the fungus on apple fruits, first a circular brownish 

 and somewhat sunken area being produced, smooth at first but later 

 becoming wrinkled. Infection usually occurs where the bark has been 

 bruised or slightly broken by tools or harness in cultivating. (See 

 Journal R.H.S. xxxiv. p. 222.)— F. J. C. 



Contests for Boys and Girls, Industrial. By G. J. Christie 

 and Henrietta -W. Calvin (U.S.A. Agr. Exj). Stn., Purdue, Circ. 19, 

 November 1909; plates). — Hints on the promotion and organization 

 of the industrial contests which are now becoming a recognized 

 method of furthering the cause of scientific agriculture among the 

 young in Indiana and other States of North America. The boys and 

 girls who mean to enter for the competition form themselves into 

 clubs which meet at stated intervals under the personal supervision of 

 school teachers to further the educational side of the movement, and the 

 contests themselves which are decided at shows held annually in some 

 central hall are in corn-growing for the boys and in bread-making and 

 sewing for the girls. — M. L. H. 



Copper Sulphate and Manganese Sulphate upon the Growth 

 of Barley, The Influence of. W. E. Brenchley (Ann. Bot. vol. xxiv. 

 July 1910, pp. 571-583 ; 1 plate). — Experiments were made to ascer- 

 tain the effect of varying concentrations of copper as sulphate on the 

 growth of barley (1) in the absence of nutrient salts and (2) in the 

 presence of the full complement of nutrient salts. The results showed 



