202 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



on my grounds. The cherry died, and in a few years the bark and 

 wood rotted. Where this occurred the old stem of the Virginia 

 Creeper commenced to send out rootlets. These rootlets seem to 

 die annually, as they do in Rhus radicans. The main stem is a 

 mass of rootlets. I have observed that the plant does this some- 

 times in the shade on stone walls, and at times when there is not 

 so much shade. Perhaps some plants or some forms may have a 

 greater tendency to root than others. 



Another curious thing is tint when the Virginia Creeper sends 

 out these aerial rootlets, the wood has excentric circles, as the poi- 

 son vine always has. 



A matter which has interested me is the manner in which the 

 branchlets disarticulate in the tall of the year. When a Virginia 

 < reeper reaches the top of its support, it sends out weak laterals. 

 In the fall these are all thrown oft down to the lowermost bud. In 

 other words the lateral branches increase only by the addition of 

 one node a year. Remembering however the above cited tilt with 

 the author of "How plants Behave" I must protect myself by re- 

 marking that though I say "these are all thrown off,' : I should not 

 be surprised if some one were to show me a case where it is not so. 



These observations have been recorded from time to time as 

 made, in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy. As recent 

 attention has been drawn to the plant, it may be useful to present 

 all in one chapter.— Thomas Meehan. 



Plants of Belle Isle, Michigan. 



Detroit, the most beautiful city of the West, has the honor of 

 possessing what will some day be one of the most delightful parks. 

 It is the Belle Isle, situated a few miles up the river and connected 

 by constantly going steamers with the wharves of the city. It 

 is still in an almost primitive condition and certainly must be a 

 treasure to the botanists of Detroit, affording a vegetation at once 

 varied and quite free from the introductions that attend the pro- 

 gress of civilization. This is the locality from which Bigelow ob- 

 tained his specimens. 



A few steps from the landing at the island, Ly thrum alatwm, 

 VotentUla Anserina, and Lathy r us paluster were growing abundant- 

 ly. A few rods beyond the bath houses Habenaria leucophcea ev- 

 erywhere threw out its spikes of fringed flowers from among the 

 grasses. Rubus occidental-is appeared, this time with an amber color- 

 ed fruit, escaping the attention of groups of children busy in col- 

 lecting the more common black variety. Rosa setigera was con- 

 stantly in demand for the rural bouquets of excursionists, which 

 seemed to have no definite size, but always had room for one more 

 Habenaria', Lysimachia stricta, Lobelia spicata, or Hypericum per- 

 foratum. On the drier ground we saw Geum strictum, Lobelia in- 



