38 THE AMETKICAN BOTANIST, 



have proved fertile when crossed with species of Cattleya^ 

 Sophronitis, Lselia, Schomhurgkia and Zygopetalum. 

 Other genera that have produced fertile crosses with the 

 genera above inentioned are Brnsoavola, Bletia, Oncidi- 

 um, Colax and Batemannia. Still more jistonishing is 

 the fact that American and Old World species of different 

 genei"a are readih- crossed. This puts the facts concerning 

 h3'bridization in a new and unexpected light. 



The Fragrant Shield Fern.— I have found the fra- 

 grant shield fern {Nephrodium iragrans) at Drums Notch 

 near Andover, Me. Gra3' speaks of it as at St. Croix 

 Falls and northward. As there is a fall at Drums Notch, 

 I have always associated the species with falls in a 

 mountainous region, — E. W. 



A Saponaceous Family, — Several species of Ceano- 

 thus in the West produce a lather when rubbed up in 

 water and Mr. C. F. Saunders, who has been experiment- 

 ing with them in California, recentl}' asked the editor of 

 this journal if our family New Jersey tea, Ceanothus Amer- 

 icanus, possessed the same properties. The editor did not 

 know but immediate^ set out upon the trail of this in- 

 formation. At the time the plant w^as just going out of 

 bloom and the blossoms, of which a quantit3' were gath- 

 ered, gave no indications ofsoap^^ qualities. The young 

 fruit, however, 3'ielded better results and a fair lather was 

 obtained from a single handful. The saponaceous matter 

 seems to reside in the covering of the seed capsule and the 

 persistent base of the calyx. 



More About Odd Odors. — Speaking of odd odors, of 

 which your June issue has something to say, you would be 

 endlessl}^ entertained by the malodors of this California 

 flora. It seems as though almost every wild plant that 

 one finds in the ,semi-arid regions has a pronounced smell. 

 The ubic|uitous white sage {Audibertla polystachya) fam- 

 ous for its honc}^ making qualities, has so strong an odor 

 of camphor that a dog running through the chaparral 

 where it abounds, will bear the smell of it in his coat for 



