NOTES AND ABSTRACTS, 
NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 
Acer Opalus and Fraxinus Ornus. By W. Somerville (Quart. Jour, of Forestry, 
No. 4, vol. 9, pp. 319-320 ; October 1915). — Both Acer Opalus and Fraxinus 
Ornus are perfectly hardy in most parts of Britain, healthy examples being found 
even far north in Scotland. Fraxinus Ornus is fairly common, often grafted on the 
stock of the common ash, but A cer Opalus is rather rare. " As to why A cer Opalus 
should not be planted more extensively as a substitute for the common sycamore, I 
may say that the former does not appear to attain to anything like the size of 
the latter, and it is very doubtful whether the timber is of even approximately 
equal value. The sycamore, when of large size, commands a price higher than 
that which applies to any British timber except the cricket-bat willow, trees 
often realizing ^30 and ^40 each, and running up to £60 and £'80. 
" As regards Quercus Ilex, I may say that it grows well in the south and 
south-east of England, especially near the sea, though in Oxford there are 
some well-grown trees which often produce large quantities of fruit. It is a 
tree of very slow growth, and does not attain to a great size, but is excellent 
for shelter and shade. In the summer of 1911 large quantities of seed were 
produced in Oxford, and I sowed a good deal on my chalk area in Sussex, but 
after three years' growth the seedlings do not average more than four inches or 
five inches in height, though I expect they will grow more rapidly now that they 
are established." — A. D. W. 
American Gooseberry Mildew, Summer Sprays against. By B. T. P. Barker 
and A. H. Lees (Jour. Bd. Agr. xxii. No. 12, March 1916). — An account of the 
testing of a 2 per cent, soft soap and paraffin emulsion containing about 
035 per cent, of liver of sulphur. This fluid is capable of completely wetting 
and killing the mildew, and does not cause scorching of the foliage or defoliation. 
The bushes experimented with were badly attacked and were sprayed about the 
middle of June, when disease was at its height, and examination a few days later 
showed that the production of new conidia had ceased. Very few perithecia 
and apparently no ripe spores were found. The emulsion was tested alone and 
apparently had fungicidal properties, which, however, were not sufficient to kill 
the " summer stage " completely. — G. C. G. 
Aphides having Alternate Food Habits, Notes on. By C. P. Gillette and 
L. G. Bragg (Jour. Econ. Entom. viii. pp. 97-103; Feb. 1915). — The alternate 
food plants of a large number of species of green-fly are given ; some are British, 
but most American. — F. J. C. 
Aphis, The Status of Spraying Practices for the Control of Plant Lice (Aphis) 
in Apple Orchards. By P. J. Parrott and N. E. Hodgkiss (U.S. A . Exp. Stn., Geneva, 
Bull. 402, 17 pp. ; 5 figs.). — A discussion of experiences in combating Aphis 
sorbi (Kalt), A. pomi (De Geer), and A. avenae (Fab.). The authors consider 
the most effective treatment is spraying with soap or nicotine solutions directly 
the Aphides emerge from the egg and make their way to the buds just about to 
expand. — E. A. Bd. 
Apple Bitter-rot, Sources of Early Infection. By J. W. Roberts (Jour. Agr, 
Res. iv. p. 59, Apr. 191 5 ; pi.). — It has been shown that in America the fungus 
Glomerella cingulata, may pass the winter on mummy apples and in bitter-rot 
cankers on the apple and possibly on other trees. Where the infection has been 
severe the author found the fungus on cankers due to Nummularia discreta, 
dead tips of fruit spurs, dead parts of limbs, injured branches, cankers caused 
by pear blight, and twig cankers due to Phyllosticta solitaria. The pruning out 
of dead parts and cankers materially reduced early infection. — F. J. C. 
Apple Orchard, A Comparison of Tillage and Sod Mulch in an. — By U. P. 
Hedrick (U.S.A. Exp. Stn., New York, Bull. 383, April 1914 ; 5 pi.).— The 
complete returns of a ten-year series of experiments on the comparative value 
of tillage in comparison with placing the orchard down to grass. 
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