43 



well-known North American species, and the same may be said 

 of their hst of newly-introduced garden plants, among which 

 may be noted Amclanchier alnifolia, A. oligocarpa, Antirrhi- 

 mini Nuttallianum, Aquilegia longissivia, Camassia Ciisickii^ 

 Convolvulus Calif orniaiSy ErytJironiiun Hendcrsoiiii^ Oxybaphus 

 Californicay Smilax rotundifolia^ Vitis indivisa, etc. Under the 

 heading, " Guide to the Botanical Literature of the British Em- 

 pire," will be found lists of the works relating to, or in which refer- 

 ence is made to the botany of the British Possessions in the 

 Western Hemisphere — a very useful compilation. 

 Champignons de Venezuela et principalement de la Region du Haiit 

 Orcnoqiic recoltcs en 1%%"] par M. A, Gaillard. • N. Patouil- 

 lard and A. Gaillard (Soc. Mycol. France iv. Fasc. 2, 7-46, PL 

 VI-XIII; from Bot. Centralb. xxxix. 121). 

 Chenes de l Ainerique septentrionale en Belgiqtie, J. Houba (8vo. 



pp. 329, Hasselt, 18S7). 

 Cottonwood. [Popnlns monilifera^ Ait.) Observations on the^ 

 Albert F. Woods. (Bull. No. 11, Agric. Exp. Sta. of Neb. 



93-97). 



An attempt is here made to differentiate between the male 



and female trees, by other than the usual sexual characteristics. 

 The tables of observations on times of leafing and defoliation and 



r 



number of lateral and terminal buds are not devoid of interest, 

 and the entire article shows considerable care in its preparation, 

 but the net results may be best stated in the author's own words, 

 viz.: "There are therefore^ no observable secondary sexual char- 

 acters, and it is safe to say that the sex of cottonwoods cannot be 

 determined until they begin to bear fruit/' It should be re- 

 marked, however, that the author does not class the appearance 

 and dropping of leaves as a seeojidary characteristic. The fact 

 that the female tree Is the last to leaf and the first to drop its 

 leaves, is considered as due to the expenditure of vital force in 

 perfecting its fruit, hence it is a /r/;;/!^;^)^ characteristic ! It seems 

 as if considerable latitude might be given to the definition of pri- 

 mary characteristics, and their number be greatly increased under 



such a ruling. 



Cypress. — The Deeiduoiis. (Garden and Forest, iii. 2, Fig. 2). 

 Contains a discussion of *' knees" and other phenomena In 



