Floristik etc. — Ansfevvandte Botanik, 31/ 



'!-> 



and east, so that with the climatic change there 'S one of plant 

 life. The genera and some of the species of the mountains arc 

 like those of the east. The plants of the west are different. The 

 Chief determining factor is moisture. The author believes that the 

 arrangement of "Zones" should be based on all factors determining 

 the distribution of life and not on one only, especially in a region 

 where that one is of secondary importance. The contents ot the 

 paper are arranged under such heads as climate (temperature 

 evaporation, soil moisture, wind, light), plant formations and asso- 

 ciations, as follows: 



River Valley Formations 



1. Cottonwood Forest. 



2. Juncus-Houttuynia Association. 



3. ßigelovia Association. 

 Mesa Formation. 



Cedar Formation. 



Pinon Formation. 



Yellow Pine Association. 



Douglas Spruce Formation. 



Canon Associations. 

 The constituent species of each of these formations are mentio- 

 ned. A section treats of the response of the plants to the climatic 

 factors. Harshberger. 



Greig-Smith, R., Contributions to our knowledge of 

 Soil-Fertility. VII— XL fLinn. Soc. N. S. Wales Abstr. Proc. 

 p. 3-4. Nov. 28th. 1913.) 

 VII., When soils are either heated or treated with volatile dis- 

 infectants, the subsequent bacterial development appears to depend 

 upon the amount of fatty matter present. Field-soils show little 

 difference, while a garden-soil produced about ten times more bac- 

 teria, when treated with Chloroform, than when simply heated at 

 65°. VIII., The demonstration of toxins in soils depends upon obtai- 

 ning a soil in which the toxins preponderate over the nutrients, and 

 in using an appropriate dilution in making the extracts. Equal parts 

 of soil and water generally yield the most toxic extract. The toxins 

 of the soil are thermolabile, while those of the subsoil are thermo- 

 stable. IX., Rain removes toxin from soil, but the toxicity returns 

 with dry weather. Similarly, a soil originally toxic, becomes non- 

 toxic when extracted with water, and the toxicity reappears upon 

 incubation in the moist condition. X.. When nitrogenous, organic 

 matter, such as dried blood, is saturated with wax or vaseline, and 

 subsequently treated with Chloroform, it does not decay any quicker 

 on account of the treatment. XL, Naphthalene induces an increase 

 in the number of bacteria in soils, but there is no increase in the 

 formation of ammonia from the organic matter originally present, 

 or added in the form of dried blood. Author's abstract. 



Krause, M., Eine neue Fettfrucht aus Deutsch-Neu-Guinea. 

 Canariiim polyphyllum. (Der Tropenpflanzer. XVII. p. 147 — 150. 

 1913.) 



Canarium polyphylhun (Burseracee) ist ein über ganz Neu- 

 Guinea verbreiteter und häufiger Baum. Die Nüsse sind von 

 einer saftigen, fleischigen Schale umgeben, ähnlich wie bei unserer 



