52 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



illustration in the April number of 

 The Guide to Nature, you cannot mis- 

 take the nut at the left for anything but 

 a beech nut, at least no one who is famil- 

 iar with the nut in question, would do so. 

 The inclusion at the right is not a nut, 

 but, on the other hand, it may be a chufa 

 (Cyperus esculenta) stolon and tuber. 

 There is nothing unusual in a growing 

 point penetrating some other and ob- 

 structing vegetation ; in this instance, 

 the axis of growth may have differed 

 from that of the potato so radically that 

 it early became separated from the pa- 

 rent plant by the breaking of the stolon, 

 thus giving the potato a chance to 

 grow around it and to completely im- 

 bed it. I wish to emphasize the fact 

 that beech and hazel nuts were potato 

 inclusions. How they got there, I do 

 not know. T offered the only explana- 

 tion that occurred to me or that seemed 

 feasible. 



Yours very truly, 

 Oeiver Atkins Farwell. 



Foreign Substances in Potatoes. 



Bayshore, Long Island, New York. 

 To the Editor : 



I was much interested in the article 

 in The Guide to Nature for April 

 about nuts in potatoes, because I have 

 found several and to-day while peeling 

 potatoes found another though much 

 smaller one than those previously 

 found. 



From the article I judged you had 

 seen only the photograph, so I am 

 sending the one found to-day and an- 

 other which has become dry and the 

 surrounding potato very hard. I notice 

 that the potato has turned pink in the 

 other half of the cavity formed by the 

 nut. 



Very truly yours, 



Mrs. Frank Watts. 



Comparison between the British and 

 French troops fighting side by side 

 make it aDpear that the pound of meat 

 in the daily allowance of the former is 

 too large for the highest efficiency, and 

 that the much smaller ration of the 

 French and Italians is really better for 

 fighting men. Our own army receives 

 one and a quarter pounds of meat per 

 day, while many civilians, who need a 

 great deal less, get even more. 



An Editorial Inspires a Song. 



I have received from our young 

 friend and talented Member of The 

 Agassiz Association, Winifred Sack- 

 ville Stoner, Jr., the following song. 



In sending this she writes as follows : 

 "I wrote this little song after reading 

 one of your articles on "Beauty." Er- 

 go the song is yours and I shall be glad 

 to contribute it to The Guide to Na- 

 ture. The air to which it can be sung 

 is that of Mother Stoner Lullaby." 



Beauty in You and in Me. 



Beauty, my kiddies, belongs all to you 

 It is around you in all that we view. 

 Throw out your love rays and use your 



good eyes 

 See it each moment in some glad surprise. 



All things are beautiful each in its place 

 Even in crawling things we find a trace. 

 In frogs and lizards, toads, snakes and in 



worms 

 Yes, even in smallest of wiggling strange 



germs. 



Beauty is fitness so scientists say, 

 And if we're useful to some one each day 

 We'll gather rays of this treasure on earth 

 To add to our storehouse of wisdom and 

 mirth. 



Beauty of stars shining up in the sky. 

 Beauty of meteors swift flying by. 

 Beauty of song birds by day and by night, 

 Beauty of Lady Moon's soft mellow light. 



Beauty of mountain and beauty of lea, 

 Beauty of rainbow and beauty of sea, 

 Beauty of flower and beauty of tree 

 All is reflected in YOU and in ME. 



To the West Wind. 



Oh Western wind, what a different world, 

 Since you have come to stay! 



A deluge of sunshine instead of rain, 

 When you chase the clouds away. 



You lead merry measures in tree-tops tall, 

 You billow the grass and grain; 



You blow firmly smooth the roadways all, 

 After the spell o' rain. 



You rumple our clothes and roughen our 

 hair, 

 And bring a warm glow to the cheek, 

 You may take all the liberties you will, 

 When you haven't been round for a 

 week. 



Oli West Wind, stay with us all the year, 

 Spring, Summer, and Winter and 

 Fall- 

 Yet no, you could not so welcome be, 

 Did we not have a taste of all. 



— Emma Peirce. 



