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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



The perusal of this charming little brochure, published 

 at fourpence, has given us much pleasure. It sets 

 forth the typical structure of symmetrical and un- 

 symmetrical flowers in a manner that is as clear as it 

 is deeply interesting. The author is an operative 

 botanist, one of those men who follow science for 

 its own sake, and not for its emoluments. Those of 

 our readers who obtain a copy will, we are sure, 

 thank us for recommending it. 



Orobanche minor. — Vegetable phenomena are 

 now things of everyday life. One cannot, with the 

 present knowledge of things, but discover peculiari- 

 ties in every living organism. It is generally looked 

 for, and generally asked, What is the peculiarity of 

 anything in question ? A peculiar phenomenon came 

 under my notice a short time since ; viz. , several 

 plants of Orobanche minor showed themselves hap- 

 pily growing with some geraniums in pots, also with 

 some Bouvardias, and no doubt robbing them of a 

 great portion of food. These plants of Orobanche 

 were taken up and placed in other pots, since which 

 time one of them has grown about eight inches. The 

 question arises, How has this growth been sustained ? 

 Does Orobanche draw up moisture from the soil by 

 its own roots ? Have the hairs (which are copious 

 enough) upon the stem and every part, which are 

 always bedewed with moisture, anything to do with 

 the absorption of food ? It would be well to have 

 these questions answered. Perhaps the readers of 

 Science-Gossip can throw some light upon the 

 matter. — J. T. Riches. 



The Science-Gossip Botanical Exchange 

 Club. — The following are the proposed Regulations 

 of the above newly-formed Club. i. The object of 

 the S.-G. Exchange Club is to facilitate the exchange 

 of dried specimens of British plants. Any lover of 

 botany can become a member, on promising to send 

 a parcel of dried plants, carriage-paid, not later than 

 7th October, to Messrs. Hardwicke & Bogue, Office 

 of Science-Gossip, 192, Piccadilly, London. 2. 

 Specimens sent for distribution must be carefully 

 dried ; must not exceed in size half a sheet of demy 

 (16 in. by 10 in.), and must illustrate the species they 

 represent as completely as possible. Grasses and 

 sedges should on no account be dried without roots. 

 3. Each specimen must have a label bearing the 

 number and name of the species, as given in the last 

 edition of the " London Catalogue " ; also the 

 locality and county where, and the date when, the 

 specimen was collected, and the collector's name. 

 To guide those who have not been accustomed to 

 distribute specimens, we give an example : — - 



No. 233 : Geranium rotundifolium, Linn. 



Loc. : Near Conway. 



County : Carnarvonshire. 



Date : 7th June, 1877. 

 Collector : John P. Jones. 



The label should be attached to the specimen. 4. 

 Each parcel must be accompanied by a list of the 

 plants the member wishes to be sent in his return 

 parcel. This list is to be made by drawing a short 

 line in red ink before their names in the London 

 Catalogue. The name of the member and address 

 should be written on the outer cover of the Catalogue. 

 Note. — The London Catalogue can be procured from 

 Hardwicke & Bogue, 192, Piccadilly, London, W., 

 post free, 7d. — Manuscript lists will not be received. 

 5. From ten to fifty specimens of any rare plant may 

 be sent for distribution, though no common species 

 need be preserved. By looking over the Catalogue 

 any one may be guided as to what example would be 

 acceptable, but none with a greater census than forty 

 should be dried for the Exchange Club. Our friends 

 need scarcely be reminded that neatly - dried and 

 carefully-selected examples of any species are at all 

 times valuable. Members sending the most valuable 

 parcels will have their return parcels selected before 

 those who send inferior ones. 6. Anything that the 

 collector may deem noteworthy must not be written 

 on the label, but on a separate paper : these will 

 afterwards be published in the yearly Report. 7. 

 The specimens sent out in the return parcels will 

 afterwards be of great value, from the fact, that each 

 example will pass under the eyes of one of our best 

 British botanists, so as to make each label thoroughly 

 trustworthy. In the case of critical species, or 

 sub-species, all doubtful examples will be placed 

 before a competent authority. 8. About eighty 

 botanists have already signified their wishes to join 

 the Club. May we ask each one of these to secure 

 another name, and to promise the coming season to 

 work with a will ? Upon this zealous effort depends 

 our success : let it not be localizing in its tendency, 

 but a national club. 



Apocynum andros^mifolium. — Mr. T. Brit- 

 tain, who communicated the fact of this plant pro- 

 bably being "carnivorous," has forwarded to us the 

 following copy of a letter from Mr. Charles Darwin 

 on the subject : — " I am much obliged to you for 

 calling my attention to the very curious case of the 

 Apocynum. I am quite unable to understand the 

 meaning of this trap-like arrangement. I do not 

 believe that it is of any benefit to the plant, and cer- 

 tainly it is none to the unfortunate insects. I have at 

 present a plant in my hothouse, and if it flower I 

 shall attempt to solve the problem. I may mention 

 that a well-known naturalist in Brazil, Fritz Midler, 

 has been hitherto baffled by trying to understand this 

 plant." 



Water-glass. • — Can any reader of Science- 

 Gossip give me directions for mounting micro- 

 objects in water-glass? It is mentioned in the 

 Micro - grapliic Dictionaiy, but no directions are 

 given for using it, and it is said to spoil after a time. 

 Is this -iol—A. H. S. 



