59 
The Microscopic Examination of Tin'ibcr with regard to its Stren\^th, 
By F. M. Day. 
(From the F roceedings of the Amer. Philosoph. Society,) 
On the Comparative Morphology of Sciadopitys. By M. T. Masters, M.D. 
(Reprint from the Journal of Botany^. 
Proceedings of the Torrey Club.— At the regular meeting of the 
Chib held Tuesday evening, April 8th, the President occupied the 
chair and eighteen persons were present. 
After some remarks by the President on the efforts that are being 
made to save the Adirondack forest, a committee, consisting of the 
President, Vice-President and Secretary, was appointed to draft res- 
olutions to be presented at the public meeting to be held at Chicker- 
ing Hall 
Mr. Hollick read a paper entitled " Notes on the Genus Viola,'' 
of which the following is an abstract: 
The Genus Viola : — The changes which most species of the genus 
Viola undergo in the late summer and autumn months do not seem 
to have had the attention bestowed upon them that their importance 
deserves. The changes are in leaf, stem and flower, and are api)a- 
rently invariable and constant, hence of considearble value in deter- 
mining specific differences. 
The following species were collected and studied during the past 
year: V. cucullata, Ait.; V. sagittafa, Ait.; V. palmuta, L.; V. Ma/iJa, 
Willd; V. primulcefoiia, 1.; V.laiiceolaia,!.; V.odorata,!..', V.pedata, 
L. and V. caiiina, L., var. sylvesiris, Kegel— F. cucullata and V. 
siii^ittata are connected by every conceivable intermediate form, and 
V palmata also connects with the former by insensible gradations. 
There is one characteristic, however, which can always be depended 
upon to distinguish V. cucullata and its varieties from the other 
species, and that is the decumbent habit of the cleistogamous flowers. 
Indeed, the entire growth of this species partakes of the decumbent 
habit, the rootstock, leaves and flowers being seldom if ever strictly 
erect. In V.sagittata the growth of the ])lant is erect from the roots 
and continues so throughout, and the cleistogamous flowers are con- 
spicuously so. 
It is sometimes difficult to know, from superficial appearances, 
where to place V. palmata, whether as a variety of cucullata or sagittata, 
hut the decumbent habit of the intermediate forms point to the for- 
mer as the the type. In the young plants oi palmata, the palmate and 
cucullate leaves may often be seen on the same plant, this being in 
accordance with the well recognized principle that the typical form is 
always more manifest in the young individuals of the variety or de- 
rived species. 
The three species of white violets are known to be very closely 
allied. V. primulcefolia and V. lanceolnta produce such a variety of 
intermediate forms that it is an utter impossibility to say definitely 
where some of them belong. V. blanda, however, is unmistakably 
<iistinct, in several particulars. In the autjimn, all three of these 
species produce runners, but no detailed description of the 
latter seems to have been made. In the entire Torrey herbarium 
