42 THE PLANT WORLD. 



ISText select a good vantage point looking across this area, pick 

 out an object in the distance as a sight, and pace off, say, 120 

 paces in the direction of this sight. At the end of the 120 paces 

 turn about and retrace your steps to the starting point. Measure 

 by eye a strip one rod wide on each side as you proceed. One 

 can soon learn to do this by a little pacing to assist the eye when 

 in doubt. Record each species within the limits of the strip as 

 you encounter it, and record each plant by a dot or line, as shown, 

 under the appropriate species. If the starting point should not 

 be visible from the ending point, walk back and go over the strip 

 in the same way as at first, recording the plants. 



If your pace is six to the rod, such a sample strip will con- 

 tain one-fourth of an acre. The length of the sample may be 

 suited to the number and size of the plants present, to the num- 

 ber of the species you wish to collect, to the time available, and 

 to other conditions as they arise ; but in order to be readily reduc- 

 ible to a common standard, a suitable unit should be determined 

 upon, and all sample areas taken should be multiples of the unit. 



J. C. Blumer. 



ISTQTES AND KEWS. 



The Arnold iVrboretum has secured funds by the aid of 

 Avhich a horticultural exploration of northwestern China will be 

 undertaken. In the prosecution of this work Mr. A. Henry will 

 proceed to the region in question for two years' work. The cul- 

 tivated plants of this region are but sufficiently known to promise 

 a large number of interesting and important additions to the 

 horticulture of the western world. 



Prof. Chas. E. Bessey, of the University of Nebraska, was 

 elected chairman of the botanical section of the A. A. A. S. at the 

 recent meeting in New York. The next meeting will be held in 

 Chicago during Convocation week, 1907-1908. Prof. Atkinson 

 was chosen as president of the Botanical Society of America, and 

 Prof. D. S. Johnson, secretary. 



