170 
clever naturalist, who, with other members of the Society of 
Friends, made their home in this very locality over eighty years 
ago. He was the author of Ul/mus racemosa, a characteristic tree 
of Central New York. In the herbarium of J. J. Thomas the 
writer found a specimen of this Scadiosa collected from the garden 
of David Thomas nearly seventy years since. There is no ques- 
tion but that the weed has come to stay. It forms a turf of its own 
in favorable localities, and is more abundant about Union Springs 
than ten years ago. I have since found it in the township of 
Montezuma, twenty miles north. 
L. S. Jr. UNIveRsiTy, PALO ALTO. W. R. DUDLEY. 
Amarantus blitoides, WWatson.—Mr. Lighthipe’s note in the 
February BULLETIN announcing the occurrence of Amarantus bli- 
toides in New Jersey within the “one hundred mile limit,’ 
prompts me to say that this species is well established within the 
corporate limits of New York city. It is to be found along the 
Hudson River Railroad track about Kingsbridge, Mount St. Vin- 
cent and Fort Washington, and doubtless at other points even 
nearer to the city proper. It grows on the gravelly road-bed, 
sometimes even between the rails, and on the adjoining em- 
bankments. 
EuGeneE P. BICKNELL. 
Death of Dr. Vasey—Dr. George Vasey, Botanist of the 
United States Department of Agriculture, died at his home in 
Washington, D. C., after a brief illness, on March 4th, in his 
seventy-first year. Dr. Vasey’s acquaintance with North Ameri- 
can Grasses was probably unequalled by that of any living botan- 
ist. All the later years of his life have been devoted to their 
study, and his publications upon them have been numerous and 
varied. A sketch of his life will appear in a subsequent issue of 
the BULLETIN. 
Dr. Vasey is succeeded by Mr. F. V. Coville, who has been for 
several years his assistant, and no better choice could have been 
made in filling the position left vacant. Mr. Coville brings to 
the post the enthusiasm and activity of youth, high botanical 
sagacity, tact, a capital scientific education and good administra- 
tive ability. He will well represent American Science both here 
and abroad. ee 
