NOTES AND COMMENT 295 



attention to the fact that during the past decade there have been very- 

 few contributions to plant geography from the systematic botanists 

 of this country. This may be due to the absorbing task which has 

 busied all taxonomic workers in the description of fresh material from 

 little-known regions, or in altering the names of plants from well- 

 known regions, or it may be due to the inherent difficulty of arriving at 

 fresh generalizations in phytogeographic work. Such recent papers 

 as those of Dr. N. L. Britton on the vegetation of Mona Island and of 

 Dr. P. A. Rydberg on the alpine flora of the Rocky Mountains show 

 that phytogeography still makes a strong appeal to the systematist 

 whenever he contemplates the larger features of his work. It is to the 

 systematist that we must look for our soundest work in floristic plant 

 geography, and it is greatly to be hoped that he will not neglect this 

 opportunity for the widening of his work. 



Miss Josephine E. Tilden, of the University of Minnesota, announces 

 that she is now prepared to distribute 6000 cards of her Index Algarum 

 Universalis. This Index furnishes a complete bibliography of litera- 

 ture on algae, under the four headings: authors, genera and species, 

 geographical areas, and general subjects. It is Miss Tilden's aim to 

 bring the Index up to date during 1916, and thereafter to keep it abreast 

 of the current literature. 



We wish to remind our readers of the two prizes of $50 and $15 which 

 are offered by this journal for the best papers on the water relations of 

 plants. All papers submitted in competition should be in the hands 

 of the Editor by December 1, 1915. Fuller information regarding the 

 contest may be found in the April issue. 



