THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 39 



"Origin of Species," De Vries' "Species and Varieties by Mu- 

 tation," Henslow's "The Origin of Floral Structures" and 

 many another of hke merit as well as lesser works. Each 

 one adds something to the botanical story. The editor's 

 library, which makes no pretensions to completeness, contains 

 five or six hundred volumes on botany and would contain 

 as many more if the circulation of this magazine was large 

 enough to permit of his buying them. But knowing of the 

 good things between the covers of those he already has, he is 

 inclined to envy the students who have these things still in store 

 for them until remembering what these same individuals have 

 missed he is not sure that they should not envy him. — Ed.] 



Plants that Seldom Fruit. — The knowledge that the 

 common white potato {Solaniun tuberosum) seldom produces 

 fruit, is so widely diffused that the barrenness of the plant 

 causes no comment. Indeed, since the tubers in a measure 

 function as seeds we have partially transferred the name to 

 them. It is usual to speak of potatoes intended for planting 

 as "seed potatoes." Real potato seeds may be found, however, 

 if one searches the potato-fields long enough, and from such 

 seeds new strains of potatoes may be raised. The potato is 

 not alone in its strange ways. Many other plants, of which 

 the ground-nut (Apios tuberosa) and lily-of-the- valley (Con- 

 vallaria majalis) are good examples, rarely produce seeds. 

 It is noticeable that all such plants have other excellent and 

 efficient means of propagation and it may be assumed that 

 finding one method requiring less effort than the other they 

 have gradually adopted it. When plants have more than one 

 means of multiplying, as, for instance, seeds above ground and 

 tubers or runners below ground, they usually subserve two 

 distinct uses. Those below ground serving to multiply the 

 plant in its own locality, and those above giving it a chance 

 of gaining a foot-hold in distant lands. 



