279 
destroying power, to which all organic substances brought within its 
influence and not thus protected readily succumb. 
In this connection I may remark that Agaricus edulis has the 
odor of Stachys hyssopifolia, Mchx. C. F. Austin, Closter, N. J. 
[The Californian Eschscholtzia, it is well known, has “a colorless 
juice but with the odor of muriatic acid.” We have the best 
authority for saying that this juice on being tested gave no trace of 
chlorine. Perhaps the same result will appear in the case of this 
new Agaricus.—Eps. | 
§ 283. Publications.—1. Vew York State Museum: Reports of the 
Botanist, Charles H. Peck, to the Regents of the University —Two of 
Mr. Peck’s valuable and interesting annual botanical reports—the 
29th and z3oth—have recently made their appearance. The tardy 
manner in which the State issues these important contributions is 
greatly to be deprecated, inasmuch as it must not only prove a _ 
serious annoyance to those naturalists who originally describe therein _ 
species new to science, but also to others working in the same field, 
and who are desirous of obtaining access to such descriptions as 
early as possible. Upon consulting the 29th Report, which con- 
tains an account of the work done in the year 1875, we find that 
. during this season there were added to the State Herbarium zor — 
species of plants not before represented therein; and that there 
were collected and received 153 species, all fungi and new to the 
Herbarium. Of this number, 80 are regarded as new to science. 
It appears that up to the date at which this report was submitted to © 
the Regents (Jan. 1, 1876) nearly 300 species of fungi that attack 
and inhabit various living flowering-plants had been detected 
within the limits of the State. Many of these are parasitic on 
food-plants, and hence prove a serious injury to the Agricultural _ 
industry of the country. On the other hand, some of these fungi 
attack noxious weeds, and hinder their dissemination and multipli- | 
cation, and for this reason must be regarded as the friends and 
allies of the farmer. Mr. Peck, believing that it is desirable that _ 
the life histories of these fungus friends and foes should be better 
known than they are, and that the means of multiplying or dimin- _ 
ishing their numbers should be under control of the farmer, sub- 
mits, as an appendix, a list of the parasites with the names of their 
host-plants. As those who have in charge the distribution of these. 
reports, however, keep them out of the hands of the farmer, it is 
not very plain what good the publication of such a list is todo Aim, 
_ An examination of the 30th Report reveals the fact that during 
_ the year 1876, there were added to the Herbarium 130 species of 
plants not before represented therein. During the same period | 
there were collected in the State 168 species new to the Herbarium, 
129 of which were fungi. Of the latter 69 are regarded as new or | 
previously undescribed. In the preface to his Report Mr. Peck | 
_ gives a sad description of the extensive ravages of a beetle (Ay/ur- 
gus rufipennis) among the Spruces of the Adirondacks. The report | 
_ closes with a list of parasitic fungi and their host plants, as a sup- 
plement to the one mentioned above, and presumably for the use 
of the farmer !—-2. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, 
