THEAMKRICAN BOTANIST 171 



:uk1 its fruit can l)c used for i)ies and sauces. If not used, 

 the fruits hanj^ on the hushes throut,di the winter, hjj^htin^ up 

 the landscape and afifordin<j food for the winter hirds. 



DandkIvION Distribution. — Everybody knows tiiat the 

 seeds of the dandehon are (hstrihuted hy tlie wind hut it 

 niav he news to many that man often effectually raises the 

 wind for this ve^etahle pest. In many places dandelions 

 ^row in solid colonies along the railroads and at the [)roper 

 season the air currents created by fast moving trains whirl 

 tile seeds high in the air and scatter them over the adjacent 

 farm lands. Often the seeds are i)icked up in such numbers 

 as to obscure the view from the rear of the train, making 

 what to all appearances is a summer siKnv-storm. 



JvADiSH Ties a Knot. — Mr. C. W. G. Kifrig recently 

 discovered in a lied of the common white radish, a specimen 

 whicli appears to ha\e attempted gymnastics by tying itself 

 into an exact overhand knot. As the root grew in size a 

 dee]) constriction was made around it where the knot was 

 made, but this did not [)revent all the rest of the root from 

 increasing to the usual size. 



Dkath of Martin C. Ebel. — Just as this magazine 

 goes to press, we learn with deep regret of the death of 

 Martin C. ICbel at his home in Summit, N. J. Mr. Ebel 

 was editor of Gardener's Chronicle of America, and Sec- 

 retary of the National Association of Gardeners. He had 

 a wide ac(|uaintance among loyers of gardens, was untiring 

 in advancing the interests of the Association he represented 

 and his jjassing will be a serious loss to horticulture. 



