NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 
213 
acid is decreased by several per cents. From the preceding facts it seems clear 
that the manurial value of a phosphate cannot be determined by a 2 per cent, 
citric acid solvent in the manner prescribed, and that further investigations 
are necessary. — /. E. W. E. H. 
Callitris oblonga. By A. B. Jackson (Gard. Chron. July 7, 191 7, p. 3; with 
fig. p. 7). — A rare species peculiar to Tasmania. The plant 8 feet high at Ros- 
trevor, planted in 1893, appears to be the only specimen in Ireland, although it 
seeds freely. — E. A M B. 
Carbohydrates, The Estimation of. V. By W. A. Davis {Jour. Agr. Set. 
vol. viii. Part 1 ; Sept. 1916). — Contrary to the view almost universally held, 
basic lead acetate does not precipitate laevulose from solution. If it be added 
in excess to a solution of pure laevulose and at once precipitated, practically 
100 per cent, of the sugar is recovered. If left for varying periods of time, an 
increasing amount of laevulose disappears and Lobry de Bruyn's glutose is found 
in increasing quantities. The conversion is accelerated by heat. On the other 
hand, digestion of maltose or dextrose with basic lead acetate leads to no loss of 
these sugars — an important distinction from the practical standpoint. 
/. E. W. E. H. 
Celery-Rot Bacillus, The. By H. Wormald [Jour. Agr. Set. viii. pp. 216-245, 
March 191 7 ; 2 plates). — The celery plant is susceptible to a bacterial attack, 
producing in the^affected tissue a brown soft rot, which may be so pronounced 
that a high percentage of the plants may, on lifting, prove to be quite useless. 
Infection is brought about through a puncture or on a raw surface : the organism 
appears to be unable to attack uninjured living organs, nor does it produce 
infection through water pores. The organism will also produce a soft rot in 
radish, carrot, potato, artichoke, turnip, and swede. Earthing up renders celery 
plants less resistant : wrapping the plants in paper tends- to protect them from 
the gnawing of snails and slugs, and therefore indirectly from infection. 
Details are given of the action of many antiseptics of various strengths. 
A o-i per cent, solution of copper sulphate and a o-oi per cent, solution of 
formaldehyde proved to be effective germicides. 
The organism is yellowish, sensitive to desiccation, typically bacilliform, 
but under certain conditions may either be coccus-like or develop long filaments, 
and can grow in a synthetic medium containing either sugar or pectin as the 
sole carbon compound. It is possibly a variety of B, carotovorus, and the author 
has named it B. apiovorus. 
A bibliography at the end of the paper gives 47 references. — /. E. W. E. H. 
Chafer Beetles. By C. L. Walton, M.Sc. {Ann. Appl. Biol. iv. Nos. 1 and 
2, Sept. 11917, p. 8). — The garden chafer, Phyllopertha horticola, is locally 
exceedingly abundant at times in the Aberystwyth area. An inhabitant of 
the " slope land," it swarms about the sunny sides of the mountain valleys, the 
adults in June, the larvae in August-September. Rooks render great service 
in devouring the pest, and this chafer is largely controlled by these birds. 
R. C. S. R. 
Cherry By-Products, The Utilization of. By Frank Rabak {U.S.A. Dep. 
Agr. , Bull. 350, Washington, March 1915). — Fruit-packing as an industry has 
been enormously developed of late years in the United States. 
Fifteen thousand tons of the sour red cherry alone are annually exported 
from Californian orchards. The fruit is stoned before packing, and hitherto 
the stones and a great quantity of juice are not only wasted, but are a source 
of expense in carting away. Chemically, the stones contain the same constituents 
as peach and almond stones in varying quantities, and experiments show that 
both fixed and volatile oil can be extracted from them. The resulting mass by 
analysis might be a useful feed for stock. This bulletin contains a description 
of the methods of extraction used, and suggests ways of making use also of the 
surplus juice. — M, L. H % 
Chicory, Witloof, Culture and Forcing of. By J. W. Wellington {U.S.A. 
Exp. Stn., New York, Bull. 418, March 1916, pp. 89-98; 3 plates).— The 
author suggests that Witloof Chicory, of which large quantities were imported 
from Belgium and France previous to the war, should be grown and forced by 
American gardeners . It is an improved variety of the common Chicory, Cichoriutn 
Intybus Linn., a native of Europe, but now found naturalized in many parts 
of America, and often a pernicious weed. It is easily grown from seed. The 
size of head when forced was found to be in accordance with the size of root 
