30 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



gerous character of the "seeds", and the letter received in 

 reply indicates that at least one fanner is an enthusiastic pro- 

 hibitionist. To quote literally, "Personally I would say let 

 them put the ergot in the whisky and poison it, as the dern 

 stuff is poison anyway. May as well kill a man outright as by 

 inches. However, the screenings are used for cattle food and 

 it would be a pity to injure the cattle." — Albert A. Hansen. 



The First Frost. — Killing frost has never occurred 

 earlier than September 10, south of the extreme southwestern 

 portion of South Dakota, extreme southern Minnesota, central 

 Wisconsin and the interior northern portion of lower Michigan. 

 It has never occurred earlier than October 1 south of the 

 extreme north portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas, southern 

 Tennessee, and the mountain districts of North Carolina and 

 Virginia. It has never occurred earlier than October 20 to the 

 southward of the extreme northeastern portion of Texas, 

 northern Louisiana, the central portions of Mississippi, Ala- 

 bama, Georgia, South Carolina and eastern North Carolina. 

 The chances are even that killing frost will not occur before 

 September 15 in most of North Dakota, Montana and the 

 extreme northern portion of Minnesota. By the first few days 

 in October killing frost occurs on the average of one year in 

 two as far south as the southern portion of Nebraska, southern 

 and eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, most of the interior 

 portion of lower Michigan and throughout the greater part 

 of New England. By October 15 it may be expected in at least 

 half the years as far south as the central portions of Kansas. 

 Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, throughout eastern Kentucky and 

 the mountainous sections of the Virginias. There is one chance 

 in two that killing frost will not occur earlier than November 1 

 at the latitude of central Oklahoma, central Arkansas, and the 

 northern portions of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South 

 Carolina and eastern North Carolina. The chances are even 

 that it will occur by November 15 a little south of the central 



