THE ALUMNI lOURNAL. 



275 



of them are aware that we have in North 

 America at least 39 species of them. The 

 fact that the genus is here so largely 

 represented is for the first time made 

 known by Mr. Rydberg, who, besides 

 establishing several doubtful species, has 

 described no less than eight new ones. 

 The more important part of his work 

 however is the correction of wrong names, 

 the arrangement of the synonomy and 

 the publication of adequate descriptions 

 of each species and variety. The group 

 has always been regarded as a difficult 

 one, and the tangle ot synomony disclosed 

 by Mr. Rydberg fully justifies the be- 

 lief. With such a complete work at hand 

 there can be no further excuse for wrong 

 determinations. 



For the Northern Physalis grandiflora 

 Hooker, Mr. Rydberg founds the new 

 genus Leucophysalis. 



Two new species of Chamaesaracha 

 and one Margaranthus, are also des- 

 cribed. 



The Agriailtural Ledger, published by 

 the Government of British India, and 

 edited by Dr. George Watt, the Govern- 

 ment Reporter on Economic Products, is 

 not so well-known in this country as it 

 deserves to be, especially in our South- 

 ern districts. It is very closely related 

 in its general direction and management 

 to the Dictionary of the Economic Pro- 

 ducts of India, the greatest work of its 

 kind in existence, and the author of 

 which is the editor of the Ledger. The 

 numbers of the Ledger are issued from 

 time to time as subjects of interest come 

 to hand. The position of each of these 

 subjects in the Dictionary is indicated, 

 and reference to literature bearing upon 

 it are printed upon the title page. All 

 departments of Agricultural Science and 

 Art are represented, and there are many 

 numbers devoted to botanical subjects. 

 Some of these subjects are here enumer- 

 ated and points of interest extended. 



No. .1 (1892), Indian Fodders; No. 3 

 (1892), Potato Preservation; No. 4(1893) 

 Potato Diseases; No. 5 (1893), Vine Dis- 

 eases; No. 6 (1893), Kinds of Sugar 

 which may be classed as Refined; No. 15 

 (1893), Arachis hypogcea (The Pea-nut); 

 No. 18 (1893) and No. 5 (1894); Lucerne 

 Cultivation; No. 4 (1894) How to Collect, 

 Catalogue and Preserve Botanical and 

 Economic Specimens; No. 6 (1894), 

 Rhea Fiber; No. 7 (1894), Assimilation 

 of Nitrogen through the Agency of the 

 Root- tubercles of certain Papilionaceae; 

 No. 17 (1894), Castor-Oils; No. 18 

 (1894), Agave Americana (The Century 

 Plant), No. 20 (1894) The Palmyra Palm, 

 No. I (1895), Acacia Catechu; No. 2 

 (1895), Indian Coals; No. 9 (1895), The 

 Al Dye (Morinda); No. 13 (1895), Sugar 

 Cane and Sugar; No. 20 (1895), Indian 

 Fungi; No. 5 (1896), Camphor I^eaf Oil; 

 No. 6 (1896), Abroma Augusta, Hibiscus 

 Abelnioschus and Malachra Capitata ; 

 No. 7 (1896) Polygonum aispidattun. 



The composition and nutritious values 

 of the principal South Indian Fodders 

 are displayed in tabular form. 



A pernicious agent in the production 

 of potato-disease in India is Phytoph- 

 thora infestens De Bary. Dr. Watt 

 gives an account of its life history. 



It is pointed out that as the use of 

 charcoal strainers is unknown in the re- 

 fining of Indian sugars, they are to be 

 reorarded as refined if freed from admix- 

 ture of uncrystallized syrup. 



It is noted that in Bengal, large num- 

 bers of red ants congregate about the 

 Pea-nut plants alid make the soil feriable, 

 facilitating the burying of its ovaries. It 

 is assumed that the plant attracts these 

 ants in some way for the purpose. It is 

 estimated that 112,000 acres are devoted 

 to the cultivation of this plant in India. 

 The exports in 1893-94 were 76,895 tons. 

 Distinct varieties are not known, but 

 several distinct forms are recognizable in 



