THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 41 



other species of trees. In the case of the grasses it was found 

 that certain species of trees, notably tuHp, dogwood, maple, 

 cherry and pine seriously checked the growth of grasses grown 

 in their vicinity and this injurious effect seems to be due to 

 the excretion of substances by the trees that are harmful to 

 the grasses. 



Planting Bulbs.- — Whether one be of the race dubbed 

 "dry-as-dust" botanists or merely a flower lover he will make 

 no mistake in planting at least a few spring flowering bulbs. 

 Coming into flower, as thev do, close on the heels of winter, no 

 other flowers can take their place. There is quite a long 

 period in early spring when these are the only flowers to be 

 had. If one has a surfeit of the more familiar crocuses, tulips 

 and hyacinths, he may find new delight in the less prominent 

 blossoms like winter aconite, Tritclias crown imperials, Chiono- 

 doxa, Scilla, Camassia, and the hosts of others in every dealer's 

 catalogue. None of them cost very much and the interest and 

 pleasure one gets from their appearance above the last snow- 

 bank of spring is out of all proportion to their cost. 



The Productiveness of Plants. — It is estimated that 

 the American corn crop for this year will be nearly three 

 billion bushels, and the wheat crop is known to amount to 

 more than five million bushels. These are but two of the many 

 crops of fruits, roots and seeds that will be gathered and yet 

 they all represent a surplus of over and above what the plants 

 needed for themselves. Most astonishing of all is the fact that 

 all these millions of tons of food products were made by the 

 green cells of plants from the carbon dioxide in the air and 

 the water from the soil. All animal life, whether man or lower 

 types, are food destroyers and absolutely unable to produce 

 food, even for themselves. The plants thus carry a double 

 load and must make the food for all living things. One of 

 the chief constituents of plant foods, carbon, exists in the air 



