Current Literaturf.. 257 



over half the top of the tree. There were also many branches 

 that, while evidently about to succumb to the injurious effects 

 of the cankers, had been able to make a very small amount 

 of growth during the past season. Tt was on such branches 

 as these that fruit buds were found open on the above named 

 date. Examination of the blossoms showed that they were 

 normal as regards parts, color and internal relationships. 

 I am informed by Prof. H. L. Price of the Department of 

 Horticulture of this E>periment Station that this fall blossom- 

 ing is not uncommon on trees which are badly affected by 

 the black rot fungus. 



It would appear from the relation of parasite and 

 host that the latter was, in this case, so affected by the fungus 

 that it was unable to bring the growth activities to rest at the 

 close of the growing season. Whatever may be tie causes 

 which bring about the periodical rest of perennial plants, the 

 action of the fungus seems, in this case, to have inhibited their 

 activities and allowed the tissues to carry on the growth in- 

 volved in unfolding, which would normally have been deferred 

 for several months. It is known that treatment with anaes- 

 thetics, e::posure to low temperature or dessication may ma- 

 terially shorten the normal period of winter buds. * It sterns 

 possiLIe that, in some cases, the continuous action of a para- 

 sitic fungus, like Sphceropsis inalorum, on the tissues of the 

 host is able to abrogate entirely the winter rest. 



BOOKS AND CURRENT LITERATURE. 



Camp-fires on Desert and Lava is the title of W. T. 

 Hornaday's last book, published by Charles Scribner's Sons. 

 It details in the author's well known picturesque style the ad- 

 ventures and scientific observations of a party conducted by 

 Dr. D. T. MacDougal on an expedition from Tucson, Ari- 

 zona, to the Pinacate region in northwestern Mexico. The 

 distance traversed from the starting point to the Gulf of Cal- 



* Howard, W. L. Untersiulninscn uchor Wintenuheporiodo der Pflanzen, 

 Dissertation, Halle, 'l906. 



