NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



639 



Plum Weevil. By F. L. Washburn (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., Minne- 

 a, nth Ann. Rept. 1909; pp. 234-237; figs.).— Spraying plum-trees 

 . ith arsenate of lead and Bordeaux mixture two or three times at the 

 beginning of the season when the weevils appear (once before and once 

 just after flowering) reduced the loss by at least 50 per cent., while 

 exj^eriments have shown that the attack on the apple may be similarly 

 controlled and the codling-moth dealt with at the same time. Cultiva- 

 tion during July and August and turning hogs in to feed on windfalls 

 were found of gre,at value. — F. J. C. 



Potato-gpowing- in Minnesota. By A. E. Kohler (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn., Minnesota, nth Ann. Rept. 1909; pp. 285-362).— A variety of 

 experiments with potatos have been in progress in Minnesota for many 

 years, and some important results are detailed in the present Bulletin. 

 One hundred varieties were tried side by side, and descriptions and 

 notes of sixty-three of these are given, followed by a tentative system 

 of classification of the potato varieties, based on the characteristics 

 of the haulms, the shape of the tubers, and the colour of the tubers. 

 The main groups proposed are — 



I. Tuberosum Group, so called on account of the foliage of the 

 varieties comprising it being similar to a strain of Solanum 

 tuberosum obtained from Mexico. 



II. Rural Group, the type of which is the ' Eural New Yorker 

 No. 2.' 



III. Endurance Group, with typically enduring foliage, 

 ' Endurance ' being the type. 



IV. Seedling B. Group, including ' Factor ' and * Radium ' 

 — a tentative group. 



V. Green Mountain Group, named from the type variety. 



VI. Carman Group, including * Snowball.' 



VII. Early Michigan Group. 



VIII. Milwaukee Group. 



IX. Russet Group. 



X. Ohio Group, with * Early Ohio ' as the typical variety. 



XI. Early Market Group. 



Full descriptions of these suggested groups and their characteristic 

 )ehaviour are given in the Bulletin. 



A comparison was made between newly imported and old stocks 

 'f several varieties, and in practically every case the yield and growth 

 htained with the former were greatly better than those obtained with 

 he latter, just as in England. — F. J. C. _ 



Potato-spraying-. By A. R. Kohler (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., Minne- 

 ota, nth Ann, Rept. 1909; p. 327).— Discusses the good effect or 

 praying with Bordeaux mixture (from one to six times) upon the 

 lop, and the freedom from disease. — F. J. C. 



