364 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



oases or wells), the best represented orders being the Cruci- 

 ferae, Zygophylleae, Legurninosoe, Composite, Borraginace, 

 Chenopodiacea?, and Graminese. In the oases, 92 species 

 were found in Farafreh, 189 in Dghakel, and 225 in Khargeh, 

 besides a number of cultivated plants ; but many of the for- 

 mer had evidently been accidentally introduced. Very few 

 of the species were new, and these were nearly related to 

 species already known. 



MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE AT WHICH CERTAIN 



SEEDS WILL GERMINATE. 



Hoberlandt has lately published a table showing the max- 

 imum and minimum temperature at which a large number of 

 agricultural seeds will germinate. From this it appears that 

 the minimum of the largest number, including wheat, barley, 

 rye, oats, buckwheat, sugar beet, linseed, poppy, clover, pease, 

 mustard, etc., is about 40.55 Fahr. The minimum for car- 

 rots, sunflower, sorghum, and maize lies between 40.55 Fahr. 

 and 50.90 Fahr. For tobacco and the gourd it is between 

 50.90 Fahr. and 60.12 Fahr. For cucumber and melon it is 

 between 60.12 Fahr. and 65.30 Fahr. 21^1,epZ., 1874, 910. 



ASSISTING THE GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 



According to BiHtger, a moderately concentrated solution 

 of caustic soda or potash seems to promote the germination 

 of seeds even more than ammonia, especially of coffee beans, 

 which germinate with difficulty. After soaking a few hours 

 in dilute potash solution, they often put forth snow-white 

 radicles. 14 C, OCXIIL, 1874, 444. 



FOSSIL FLORA OF THE WESTERN TERRITORIES. 



Under the title of " Contributions to the Fossil Flora of 

 the Western Territories: Part I. The Cretaceous Flora, by 

 Professor Lesquereux," Professor Hayden has published the 

 sixth volume of the series of final reports of the United States 

 Geological Survey of the Territories. The work is in quarto, 

 and embraces one hundred and thirty-six pages and thirty 

 plates. Very many new species are figured and described. 

 The name of the author is, of course, a sufficient guarantee 

 of the scientific value of this work, which covers all the known 

 species of the Dakota group, and constitutes an important 



