22 THE PIvANT WORI.D 



many examples of this genuine style ; and we welcome any record of 

 original observation, no matter how simple it may seem. As a concrete 

 illustration, let us take a patch of jewel weed in blossom. The writer of 

 * ' popular ' ' botany would perhaps speak of the ' ' dainty slipper-like 

 blossoms flashing their bright bits of color through the woodland," but 

 would he notice how a twist of the flower stalk, when the blossom is fully 

 expanded, brings it beneath the shelter of an adjacent leaf so that the 

 reproductive organs need not be injured by a sudden shower? Would 

 he pass on to observe how this is not an accidental circumstance, but is 

 the universal habit of this plant ? We earnestly commend the considera- 

 tion of this point to the general reader, and we ask him to make a careful 

 comparison of The Plant World with any existing journal of its class. 

 If, after doing this, he feels minded to oflfer us suggestions as to possible 

 improvement in our standards, we shall consider it the best possible favor. 

 We have enlarged our editorial staff by two members : Professor 

 Francis E. Lloyd, of the Teachers' College in New York City, who will 

 build up a department on methods of teaching biology and nature study ; 

 and Mr. E. ly. Morris, of the Washington High Schools, who will have 

 charge of our exchanges, and will also contribute some educational articles. 

 Dr. Knowlton will continue "The Home Garden and Greenhouse," 

 which will be helpful to the owner of a small garden in selecting the 

 best plants for his purposes. Mr. Shear will prepare some articles on 

 the fungi, including some of the more obscure groups. Mr. Safford's 

 interesting account of Guam will extend through the volume, and will 

 be concluded in December. Those who have not this series complete 

 should lose no time in obtaining the back numbers, for there is no book 

 dealing so thoroughly with this remote island possession. The Wild 

 Flower Preservation Society will continue to publish accounts of its work 

 and the various educational essays. Notes of travel, descriptions, and 

 photographs of rare plants will continue to be an important feature of 

 the magazine. A series by Mr. Pollard on " Misapplied Plant Names " 

 will be commenced later in the year. We are also promised an article by 

 Mi.ss Alice I^ounsberry, author of "Southern Wild Flowers." 



Sale of Cut Flowers. — According to a recent issue of Cotintry Life in 

 America the sale of cut roses in the United States amounts to about 

 $6,000,000 a year; carnations, $4,000,000 ; violets, $750,000, and Chrys- 

 anthemums, $700,000, and the annual production is estimated at 

 100,000,000 each of roses and carnations, and 50,000,000 for violets. To 

 show the high prices prevailing during Christmas week the following list 

 of prices, in Boston, is quoted from a report in the January 2d issue of 

 American Gardening : Wholesale prices, which were hardly half the retail 

 price, were from $6 to $20 per hundred for tea roses, $1.00 each for Ameri- 

 can Beauty roses, $8 to $10 per hundred for carnations, and $1 to $2 for 

 violets. The supply, even at these figures, was less than the demand. 



