351 
Prof. Jones had tried distributing cultures on mica. Prof. Jones 
replied that the paraffined paper was cheaper. 
Mrs. Britton reported the occurrence of the moss Zetraplodon 
éryoides in large quantities on the timbers soaked with drainage 
from the stables on the summit of Mount Washington, N. H., and 
distributed specimens collected there in July, 1895, by Mr. Edwin 
Faxon, Dr. Geo. G. Kennedy and Mr. E. F. Williams; it had 
Previously been found only in small patches on this mountain. 
She also remarked on the distribution of the species in North 
America. 
Judge Day remarked as follows on Jris: It seems to be a 
character of the rhizomatous species of /7zs, when forming flow- 
ers for the following season, to produce at the extremity of the 
thizome three buds, side by side, of which the two lateral ones 
are merely vegetative and the central one, alone, productive of 
flowers. I have noticed this character in /7is versicolor, Virginica, 
verna, cristata and cuprea, of North America, and Kaempferi, 
pumia, Siberica, Pseud-acorus, sambucina, Florentina and Germanica, 
so-called, of the Old World. I have failed to find it in any of the 
bulbous Jyises, or in any other genus of the Iridaceae, and think 
the observation has not been heretofore recorded. 
Prof. Bessey remarked on the distribution of the bear-berry, 
Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, in Nebraska, stating that it is known to 
occur with Pinus pondorosa in two widely separated stations near 
the 1ooth meridian, one of these being in a cafion in the central 
County ( Custer) and the other a cafion on the south side of the 
Republican River, near the south border of the state. Judge Day 
said that in the Buffalo region it follows the Niagara River, but 
does not enter the gorge. Prof. Bessey remarked that ericaceous 
shrubs will not grow on the plains. 
Turspay, AUGUST 25TH. AFTERNOON. 
Prof. Newcombe described an improvement to the paraffine- 
bath, consisting of a device for adjusting the receptacles of the bath 
at various heights so as to secure different temperatures in the 
receptacles, while the temperature of the bath remains constant. 
This adjustment can only be made in baths in which there are 
Closely fitting, removable receptacles, sitting into pockets. Sucha 
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