100 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 
[For Index to Abbreviations, etc., see volume xlv.] 
Asparagus, Washington (U.S. Dep. Agr., Bur. PI. Ind., Circ. 7, pp. 1-8). — 
'Martha Washington/ the most highly rust-resisting variety of Asparagus, was 
obtained by fertilizing ' Martha,' a seedling of Sutton's ' Reading Giant/ with 
the male plant ' Washington,' an American seedling of unknown origin. The 
seeds are small and the strain is late, but the shoots are of the finest market 
type. 
Another new variety is ' Mary Washington, ' also derived from ' Washington ' 
and a seedling of ' Reading Giant.' It yields the largest seeds and seedlings yet 
produced. The shoots are very large, early, and prolific. 
In digging seedlings pains should be taken to avoid damaging the roots 
leading away from the crown. One-year-old roots do better than two-year roots. 
To keep the pedigree strains pure for seed production, the plants must not be 
grown in fields near inferior strains. Poor male plants should be weeded out 
at the beginning of blooming time. — S. E. W. 
Bacterial Leaf-spot Disease of Protea eynaroides, exhibiting a Host Reaction 
of possibly Bacteriolytic Nature. By Sidney G. Paine and H. Stansfield [Ann. 
Appl. Biol. vol. vi. No. 1, Sept. 1919, pp. 27-39 ; plate and text figs.). — Disease 
noticed on plants of Protea eynaroides in houses at Kew Gardens, where for a 
number of years it has caused considerable disfigurement to the plants. It occurs 
on all the leaves of older plants and on leaves of seedlings after they reach a 
height of 10 or 12 inches. A description of the disease and possible control 
measures are given. The leaves develop characteristic brown blister-like spots, 
or brown sunken spots with bright vermilion border. — R. C. S. R. 
Caprifigs and Caprification. By J. L. Condit (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., Cal., 
Bull. 319, March 1920 ; 23 figs.). — The native fig-growers of Smyrna make a 
practice of suspending wild figs or caprifigs among the branches of their fig 
trees. From these caprifigs issue hundreds of small insects known scien- 
tifically as Blastophaga grossorum. These enter the eye of the Smyrna fig 
and cause the fruit to set. The process is known as caprification. 
On account of the recent large plantings of Smyrna figs in California there 
is a keen demand for practical information about varieties of caprifigs, cost of 
caprification, and methods of distribution in the orchards. 
This bulletin presents the latest and most reliable information on these 
points. — V. G. J. 
Chicory: Control and Eradication. By Albert A. Hansen (U.S.A. Dep. 
Agr., Circ. 108, Sept. 1920 ; 1 fig.). — Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) is a weed of fields, 
gardens, lawns, meadows, and waste places. It has little or no preference for 
any particular kind of soil, and the heavy root enables it to endure severe dry 
spells. It is commonly introduced by means of impure grass, clover, and forage 
crop seeds. Hand pulling and frequent hoeing and grubbing up are the best 
means of eradication. — V. G. J. 
Citrus-Fruit Improvement: a Study of Bud Variation in the Lisbon 
Lemon. By A. D. Shamel, L. B. Scott, C. S. Pomeroy, and C. L. Dyer (U.S.A. 
Dep. Agr., Bull. 815, June 1920 ; 14 figs.). — The California Fruit-growers Exchange, 
a co-operative organization of 8,000 Citrus growers, has established a bud supply 
department as a result of these investigations. This department furnishes at 
cost to growers and nurserymen bud wood from superior performance trees. 
V. G. J. 
ErieasessilifloraLinn. f. By W. B. Turrill (Bot. Mag. t. 8868 ; December 1920).—- 
A species from the coastal region of S. Africa, with greenish semi-transparent 
flowers in terminal many-flowered heads. Corolla curved, tubular, about 1 inch 
long, stamens included. — F. J. C. 
