336 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



variolaris, Dr. J. IT. Mellichamp, of Bluffton, S. C, lias made 

 experiments which sliow that the sweet secretion of that 

 plant acts simply as a lure, and has not, as some have sup- 

 posed, an intoxicating effect on the insects which feed upon 

 it. The observations of Dr. Mellichamp were confirmed by 

 Air. B. M, Watson, of Cambridge. Professor C. E. Bessey lias 

 published, in the Naturalist of August, the result of some 

 careful experiments to ascertain the cause of the peculiar 

 position which the leaves of the SUphium laciniatum (compass 

 plant) assume. The first gives tables of the variation from a 

 line passing north and south which he observed in plants of 

 different ages and sizes; and the comparatively slight vari- 

 ation from the meridian is quite striking. In seeking for the 

 cause of the peculiar position of the leaves, he finds that the 

 relative position of the stomata on the upper and under sur- 

 faces of the leaf does not determine the real cause of the 

 polarity. In a later note, Professor Bessey states that, what 

 is known as the " palisade tissue," which is usually found 

 only on the upper surface of the leaf, is in SUphium Ultima- 

 tum, distributed throughout the whole leaf. 



In General. 



During the past year no new botanical work has been at- 

 tempted in connection with the different Western surveys; 

 although it is understood that progress has been made by 

 Professor Rothrock in working up the plants collected by him 

 during a previous expedition. We must not, however, omit 

 to mention the botanical work by Professor Macoun in con- 

 nection with the survey of Canada. An event of interest 

 has been the visit to this country of Sir J. D. Hooker, who, 

 in company with Professor Gray, Professor Leidy, and others, 

 spent nearly three months in the Rocky Mountains and Cali- 

 fornia. In the way of new publications we would mention 

 the first Bulletin of the Illinois Museum of Natural History, 

 containing botanical articles by Fred. Brendel, M.D., and 

 T. J. Burrill; and also a volume of the Proceedings of the 

 Ann Arbor Scientific Association, containing articles bvMr. 

 V. M. Spalding and Miss Almendinger. During the year very 

 little change has taken place in the management of the bo- 

 tanic gardens, or the botanical chairs, in the country. Dr. 

 J. T. Rothrock has been appointed Professor of Botany in the 



