134 THE PLA^T AYOELD 



at Great Falls, growing on trees ! It would seem as if the two ferns had 

 changed habitats for the nonce, in order to interest the botanists ! 



Charles Louis Pollard. 



A GIGANTIC GRASS SEED. 



At the meeting of the Linnean Society, in London, on March 

 20, Dr. Otto Stapf exhibited several seeds of Melocanna hamhusoides, a 

 species of bamboo, which completely upset the popular idea of grass 

 seed dimensions, the giants of which are presumed to be represented by 

 pedigree wheat and maize, in which latter the huge mass of seeds con- 

 stitutes, it is true, a very substantial fruitage ; the actual seeds, however, 

 are comparatively small. In Melocanna, on the other hand, in lieu of a 

 spike arm or cylindrical mass of associated small seeds, we have solitary 

 ones, measuring no less than 5 in. in height by 3 in. in diameter, a mas- 

 sive pear-shaped body, the size and form of which are as utterly different 

 from our usual idea of a grass seed as can well be conceived. By what 

 evolutionary process this huge solitary fruit has been arrived at is not 

 clear, but as might be expected, the great store of nutriment embodied 

 in so large a fruit favors the development of the associated embryo plant 

 to such an extent that the first product of germination is a robust growth, 

 which practically secures establishment and continued existence. The 

 single seed is thus fully as efficacious, if not more so, in securing repro- 

 ductions than a very large number of small ones and by its greater 

 individual vigor would probably have an infinitely better chance of survi- 

 val in a dense, growing Bamboo jungle, where small weakly seedlings 

 would be utterly incapable of reaching the light. This, indeed, is proba- 

 bly the key to its genesis. — American Gardening. 



The Wild Flower Preseryation 



Society. 



Local Chapters. 



The secretary has received inquiries as to the best methods of 

 forming local chapters. Such bodies should be organized in much the 

 same manner as any other society ; the usual course of operations is 

 for the person or persons taking the most active interest in the subject 

 to call a preliminary meeting, inviting by letter, circular or any other 

 means best suited to the local conditions, all those likely to take an 

 isterest in the subject. Some chairman, previously selected, should 



call the meeting to order, explain its objects and introduce other speak- 



