ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 73 



the endoderra and central cylinder in tho root, haulm, and leaf, and of 

 the absolute number of fibres in the leaf. In wheat grown in sodium 

 ■chloride or in distilled water, the stomates disappear almost entirely 

 from the under-side of the loaf. 



Relation of the Supply of Water to the Ripening of Woody 

 Plants.* — According to F. Kovessi, the form of a tree, as well as the 

 location of its flowering branches, are largely determined by the con- 

 ditions relating to ripening. Tho degree of ripening of the branches, 

 and, in consequence, the abundance of flowers and fruits for the following 

 year, are in inverse proportion to the quantity of water received by the 

 plant. 



Hybridisation by Grafting.f — A. Jurie records an instance of the 

 transmission of characters from the graft to the stock. Using as the 

 stock a vine which had never produced any but male flowers, there was 

 grafted on this a bud from an ordinary hermaphrodite vine. The stock 

 put out a long and vigorous shoot which bore fertile flowers producing a 

 well-developed bunch of grapes. 



Grafting, Pinching, and Annular Decortication.^ — L. Daniel draws 

 an anatomical comparision between the processes of grafting (simple and 

 mixed), pinching (pincement), and annular decortication. He further 

 points out that the artificial increase in the number of concentric layers 

 corresponds with what takes place in nature by the action of phyto- 

 phagous animals or of wind. 



Chlorophyll Assimilation of Cut Leaves. — In an additional note 

 on the assimilation carried on by leaves (Pelargonium, spinach, chick- 

 weed) after being detached from the parent plant, J. Friedel § states 

 that this process goes on much less energetically in the autumn than in 

 the summer, the difference displayed in the two seasons being greater 

 even than is the case with living leaves. 



M. Harroy || has repeated Friedel 's experiments, with negative 

 results. 



Vitality of Leaves after their Fall.f — G. Boyer has noticed that 

 after leaves have fallen to the ground in the autumn, they still, as a rule, 

 exhibit some of the phenomena of life. Especially can it be demon- 

 strated that the process of respiration has not altogether ceased ; but that 

 it may even proceed with considerable energy. The experiments were 

 chiefly made with leaves of Euonymw. 



Biology of Ranunculus Ficaria.** — E. Berg has noticed that the 

 axillary buds will develop, whether borne on barren shoots or on those 

 which produce ripe fruits and seeds, but only after a period of rest. In 

 Germany and Switzerland the species is propagated not only by the 

 bulbils but also sexually through insects attracted by the bright corolla 

 and the fragrant nectaries. 



* Comptes Itendus, exxxii. (1901) pp. 1359-61. Cf. this Journal, 1901, p. 302. 

 t Op. fit., exxxiii. (1901) pp. 445-6. 



J Tom. cit., pp. 837-40. Cf. this Journal, 1901, pp. ITS and 182. 

 § Tom. cit., pp. 840-1. Cf. this Journal, 1901, p. 436. 

 || Tom. cit., pp. 890-1. 



ii P.V. Soc. Sciences phys. et nat. Bordeaux, 1900, pp. 68-72. 

 ** Studien lib. d. Dimorphismus v. Ranunculus Ficaria, Erlangen, 1899, 49 pp. 

 and 1 pi. See liot. Central!)'., lxxxvii. (1901) p. 315. 



