200 THE pla:vt world. 



intermingle with bananas and other trees of a more tropical 

 nature ; ferns and epiphytes crowd on the tree trnnks ; roses 

 flower as profusely as in Southern France, and orchids of vari- 

 ous kinds give the garden a tropical appearance. 



A small laboratory building with living accommodation is 

 situated in the garden, which offers an excellent opportunity for 

 work on the hill flora. 



During my recent trip to Ceylon I did not go to Ilakgalla, 

 but I understand the garden has improved greatly since my visit 

 there seven years ago. 



For the purpose of botanical investigations tlie gardens of 

 Ceylon are admirably situated. The variety in elevation, from 

 near the sea level at Henaratgoda to about 1,600 feet at Pera- 

 deniya, and 4,000 feet more at Hakgalla, ofl^ers good opportu- 

 nity for comparative studies of the tropical flora and vegetation 

 under different climatic conditions. 



SOME OBSERVATION'S OX THE FLOWERS OF ACER 



SACCHARmUM. 



By W. H. Hein. 



The object of this study was to ascertain what structural 

 and |)hvsiological variations exist in the flowers and inflorescence 

 of the Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). 



Structural Observatioxs. — It was necessary to examine 

 a large enough number of flowers so that results might be relied 

 upon to give a fair average of the conditions as they exist in the 

 locality where the study was made. Flowers were collected from 

 some thirty individual trees scattered about the citv of Lincoln. 

 A close examination was made of each separate flower under 

 a dissecting microscope, and in all doubtful cases the compound 

 microscope was brought into use. As this proved to be a very 

 slow means of getting results, it was necessary, in order to ]ire- 

 vent the rather short flowering season from putting a sudden 

 end to further study, to preserve in a 75% solution of alcohol, 



