November II li-89. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
423 
- An interesting paper on Japanese lacquer, read lately by Mr. 
It. Hitchcock before the Chemical Society of Washington, has been 
printed in the Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 
Japanese lacquer is the product of a tree, the Rhus vernicifera, 
D.C., which grows throughout the main island of Japan. It attains a 
large size, the trunks sometimes measuring a metre in diameter. It is 
said the tree will live for forty years, but only comparatively young 
trees are valued for the production of lacquer. Having yielded for 
several years they are cut down, the lacquer extracted from the branches, 
and young trees take their places. Having given an account of the 
chemical composition of lacquer, and described the uses to which it is 
applied, Mr. Hitchcock urges that it should receive more attention than 
has hitherto been devoted to it by manufacturers in America. “ It gives 
a surface to wood,” he says, “ much harder than our best copal varnish, 
without brittleness. It takes a polish not to be excelled, which lasts 
for centuries, as we may see in the old treasures of Japan. It is proof 
against boiling water, alcohol, and, indeed, it seems to be insoluble in 
every agent known. It is the best possible application for laboratory 
tables. I have a set of photographer’s developing trays that have been 
in use for more than a year, and I find them excellent and cheap. In 
heteroecism were adduced, and some problems suggested for the con¬ 
sideration of members of the Society. The Ustilagineae were then 
shortly referred to, and Ustilago segetum, the corn-smut, given as a 
familiar example. The paper was illustrated by diagrams, specimens 
and the sections shown under the microscope. 
CAREX VARIEGATA 
One of the most graceful plants in the group of those suitable for 
table decoration, exhibited by Messrs. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, at the 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on October 22nd was that 
depicted in the woodcut (fig. 54). It is a variegated form of a species 
that has not yet been determined, as flowers have not been produced at 
present, but it has received ihe appropriate provisional name of variegata. 
The leaves are very narrow and slender throughout their entire length, 
most elegantly recurving and drooping, green with a pure white central 
stripe, that is shown in the drawing very clearly, as it is much reduced. 
It is difficult to imagine any plant better fitted for table decoration 
than this, and it will be a useful companion for the lighter Crotons and 
D.-acasnas. 
Fig. 54.—CAREX VARIEGATA. 
Japan it is used for many household aiticles.” Unfortunately, lacquer 
.poisoning from the fresh material is a serious danger. According to i 
Rein, the poison is a volatile acid, and Mr. Hitchcock suggests that it 
might be removed by a heat that would leave the lacquer uninjured. 
-At the la-t meeting of the Andersonian Naturalists’ 
■Society of Glasgow, amongst the papers read was one by Mr. R. Turner 
Vice-President, on the “ Uredinese and Ustilaginese.” He explained 
the relations of these microscopic Fungi to other plants, and their posi¬ 
tion in the vegetable kingdom. They are all parasitic upon some living 
plant, and consist of two essential elements —spores and mycelium. 
The spores are very diverse, the mycelium very similar. The same 
■mycelium gives rise to several different kinds of spores, each of these 
being formerly regarded as a different genus. The production of 
cluster-cups and of the spermagonia, with their so-called spermatia, was 
described. It was shown that these spermatia have been by no means 
established as equivalent to pollen in function. As an example of hete- j 
Joecism, the life history of Puccinea graminis was traced : first, the 
tecidiospore stage on the Barberry, then the rust on Wheat, succeeded 
by mildew, and finally, the germination of the teleutospores and the | 
production again of aicidium on Barberry. Many other instances of 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY, WESTMINSTER 
AQUARIUM.—Nov. 12th anb 13th. 
As was expected, owing to the earliness of the season, the date fixed 
for the above Show proved fully too late, and numbers of intending 
exhibitors who had entered for the leading classes had to withdraw at 
the last moment. The competition was in consequence not quite so keen 
as usual, but the quality of the cut blooms was generally good. The 
groups and specimen plants were excellent, the display of vegetables, 
fruit, and sundries most extensive. 
CUT BLOOMS. 
The principal class was for forty-eight blooms, twenty-four incurved 
and twenty-four Japanese, restricted to Chrysanthemum and Horti¬ 
cultural Societies. The Wimbledon and District Royal Horticultural 
and Cottage Gardeners’ Society, represented by Mr. C. Gibson, were 
first with a good collection, comprising the following varieties :— 
Japanese, back row : Edwin Molyneux, Sunflower, Mrs. J. Wright, Val 
d’Andorre, Fair Maid of Guernsey, Belle Paule, Carew Underwood, and 
Mdlle. Lacroix. Middle row : Lady Lawrence, Mons. Brunet, Ralph 
Broeklebank, Mdme. Audiguier, Meg Merrilies, Boule d'Or, Album 
Fimbriatum, and Charlie Sharman. Front row : L'Adorable, Mrs. H. 
