4.6 THE PLANT WORLD. 



that they are Latin. For example, such common names as Geranium, 

 Pelargonium, Fuchsia, Rhododendron, Azailia, Chrysanthemum, Nar- 

 cissus, Crocus, Iris, Hibiscus, Dahlia, Spiraea, Magnolia, Syringa, 

 Aster, Catalpa, Clematis, Wistaria, Cosmos, Phlox, etc., are the Latin 



scientific names of these plants. 



* * 

 * 



The city of Brooklyn, N. Y., has had much trouble with its drink- 

 ing water, complaint being made especially during the summer 

 months, of its objectionable appearance, strong fishy or oily taste, 

 and disagreeable odor. The causes of this condition have been in- 

 vestigated by Professor Leeds of the Stevens Institute of Technology, 

 who finds that the whole trouble is due to the presence, in immense 

 numbers, of a minute plant, a diatom, known as Astcrionella flazw'r. 

 In some samples of water as many as twenty million individuals to 

 the gallon were found. This diatom is enclosed in the usual silicious 

 skeleton and has the power of secreting a substance in the nature of 

 an oil, which possesses the peculiar taste and odor above described. 

 This oily taste-producing substance is volatile and cannot be gotten 

 rid of by distillation. The water itself was found to be colorless, the 

 apparent color being due to the suspended organisms. The problem 

 of how to purify the water is naturally an important one. Filtration 

 of the water was of no avail, and aerating it only tended to aggravate 

 the trouble. The only remedy that has proved effectual so far is that 

 of excluding the light, and converting the reservoirs into subterranean 



basins, as the Asterionella cannot live in darkness. 



* * 

 * 



The recent sad death of a well-known resident of Washington, 

 caused by eating poisonous mushrooms, emphasizes the importance of 

 becoming thoroughly familiar with the various edible species before 

 we place trust in our powers of discrimination. Unless one has a 

 fairly complete knowledge of the fleshy fungi it is better to gather 

 nothing but the field mushroom {Agaricns cainpcsti'is), which is nearly 

 always unmistakable. The Department of Agriculture is shortly to 

 issue a bulletin on this subject, with plates, giving careful descriptions 

 of the edible species and such poisonous forms as are likely to be con- 

 fused with them. 



According to Prof. L. R. Jones of the Vermont Experiment Sta- 

 tion, the Orange hawkweed [Hieraciiim aiirantiacrim') threatens to be- 

 come one of the most troublesome weed pests of the State. His re- 

 port [ Btill. Vt. Ex. Sta. No. 56] furnishes an account of the relation- 

 ship, origin and distribution of the weed, together with the damage it 

 does and the means of its eradication. 



