114 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



this class are the causes of wilt in various plants, club-root of 

 cabbage, onion smut, scab, black-rot and similar troubles. 

 The germs of these diseases can live in the soil for one or more 

 seasons waiting to infest the next lot of plants that way be 

 grown. Not only are they hard to eradicate when they once 

 get in but they may infect other fields in a variety of ways; 

 from the hoofs of animals or the feet of laborers who visit new 

 fields, in feed or manure, even from tools that have been used 

 in the infested ground. Cases are also known in which the in- 

 fection was spread by rains washing down the germs from 

 higher land. 



Rare Iowa Plants. — Noting your article concerning the 

 discovery of Tribuhis terrestris at Joliet, will say, regarding 

 the fact of Joliet being the third inland station, that this plant 

 has been known from at least two localities in Muscatine 

 County, Iowa for the past twelve or fifteen year and was re- 

 ported by Reppert, Barnes, and Miller in a Flora of Scott and 

 Muscatine Counties published in 1900 (Proc. Davenport Acad. 

 Sci. VIII — p. 210). At that time it was reported from Mus- 

 catine and Fruitland, and having collected it for several years 

 at the latter place I can vouch for the fact that it is still well 

 established. Now I have a new find to record, which may 

 However prove, like the caltrop, to be better established or more 

 widespread than we now think, but if so, I will be glad to know 

 more concerning its distribution. Some years ago I found at 

 Fort Dodge, (la.) a plant which, at first glance, I took to be a 

 Rumex but closer examination disproved this without, how- 

 ever, clearing up the mystery. A short time ago in studying 

 a series of Atriplex from Norway, I recognized my mysterious 

 plant and comparison proved it to be Atriplex hortense L. 

 This has, I believe, been reported from eastern ballast heaps, 

 but I have never heard of its occurrence inland. — M. P. Somes, 

 Iowa City, Iowa. 



