88 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



Such instances show us very clearly that nature is constantly 

 varying and possibly producing forms by mutation. These 

 are not species but they are no less worthy of study. 



A Moss Used for Decorations. — A writer in Bryologist 

 notes that a common American moss (Climacium Ameri- 

 canum) is frequently used by English florists for wreaths and 

 crosses, the stems being tied in bunches with pleasing effect. A 

 dealer is authority for the statement that the moss comes to the 

 market in a dried condition under the name of resurrection 

 moss. It is usually dyed various colors before using. 



Books and Paper. — It is interesting to note how some of 

 the most important words in the English language have been 

 derived from plants. The present age would not be of much 

 account without books and libraries, but it devolved upon 

 plants to give not only the first books to the world, but the 

 name for the places in which they are kept and the keeper. 

 To begin with, the inner bark of trees is called liher and be- 

 cause the ancients wrote on such bark the name was trans- 

 ferred to the books thus made. It was then an easy step to 

 library and librarian. The word lihel is also derived from 

 liber. It was first simply Hbelhts and meant a little book or as 

 we would say a booklet or pamphlet. But the tendency of 

 pamphleteers to say things of an uncomplimentary nature, 

 because so marked that libel soon took on the meaning we 

 now commonly give it. Paper is derived from papyrus a 

 latin word for a certain water plant from which the ancient 

 Egyptians made writing material. The stem which is about 

 an inch in diameter, contains a soft pith, that being cut in 

 thin slices and arranged in several layers at right angles to 

 one another and then pressed makes a serviceable paper. When 

 other substances took the place of papyrus the product was 

 still called paper and doubtless always will be. 



