23 



published results of Pringsheim on the functions of this sub- 

 stance. The author's paper is published in the Monthly Report of 

 the Royal Academy of Sciences of Berlin, for July, and we find it 

 also in the Botanische Zeitung for December 12th, along with an arti- 

 cle on the "Chlorophyll of Plants," by F. Hoppe-Seyler. Pringsheim 

 considers that chlorophyll, so long as it exists in the cell, protects the 

 protoplasm from the injurious effects of sunlight, and suggests that 

 it may serve as a regulator of respiration, by reason of its strong ab- 

 sorption of light, especially of chemical rays. He has also detected 

 in the ground substance of all chlorophyll grains, and of all amor- 

 phous chlorophyll, a new body very sensitive to light, and easily de- 

 stoyed by it, and which he calls hypochlorin or hypochromyl. This 

 substance he considers to be the true primary product of assimilation 

 of green plants, from which are derived by oxidation, under the 

 influence of light, the starchy and oily contents of chlorophyll grains. 

 Accumulation and growth of the latter proceed in proportion with 

 a decrease of the hypochlorin in it. In darkness the starch is less 

 stable than hypochlorin, showing that the conversion of the latter 

 into more highly organized bodies in the cell is favored by the in- 

 creased respiration occuring in light. In the Comptes Rendtis (p. 862) 

 of the Academic des Sciences, M. Gautier describes the preparation 

 of chlorophyll in a crystalline form. The details of the process 

 would be out of place here, and we need only say that the chloro- 

 phyll, which is usually accompanied by a yellow crystallizable sub- 

 stance, is obtained in the form of flattened needles. The author 

 remarks that he believes chlorophyll to be closely allied to bilirubine, 

 both in its chemical composition and its reactions. Like the latter, it 

 can pass successively from green to yellow, red, or brown, by the 

 substraction or addition of oxygen. This relation of chlorophyll to 

 bilirubine, and consequently to the hematine derived from the blood 

 is of considerable interest. A continuation of these researches may 

 possibly lead to a discovery of the means by which the change from 

 the green coloring matter of leaves to the bright colors of petals is 

 effected in nature, and this would prove of incalculable value to the 

 florist. 



Harpers^ Magazine for February, issued as usual on the 15th of 

 the month preceding, contains an interesting and well illustrated 

 article on the Botanic Garden of that pioneer of American botany, 

 Jno. Bartram, a spot, which, *'Among scientific men of all countries 

 has been the Mecca of their pilgrimage when visiting our shores." 



The Essex Institute have purchased all but ten of the entire 

 edition of Mr. Geo. E, Davenport's monograph of Botrychium sim- 

 plex, to be used in their foreign exchanges. The original subscribers 

 to this paper may congratulate themselves, as the work will never be 

 seen now "at a reduced price,'* the remaining copies being held at 

 $1.50 each. 



Flora of Connecticut. — Mr. James N. Bishop, Plainville, Conn., 

 sends us a circular, advertising that he is preparing a ** Flora of the 

 State, which will include both Phenogamia and Cryptogamia. It will 

 be published during the winter of 1880-81/' He calls for authentic 

 information from all quarters. 



