72 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



The Gardener's Monthly, November. — Two handsome California plants are 

 describeci, Trilelia laxa and Brodima coccinen. Accompanying the description of the 

 latter species is an excellent figure of the flower cluster and it promises to become one 

 of our handsomest cultivated plants. Tiic articles of this Magazine are so numerous 

 and varied that w^e can not .even name'them, nor select the most prominent, for-all are 

 interesting. 



Field and Forest, November. — The Flora Columbiana has been brought down 

 among the Graminew, having stopped in this number with the genus Eatonia. 



Bulletin of thf Torre// Botanical Club, October. — Geo. E. Davenport mentions some 

 \)QcnV\av YarUit'ions of Asju'liuin Thelypteris, Swz. W. E. Gerard states that the fungi 

 Bhi/tisina Solldaginis, andii. A-Ateris, which occur on the. leaves of Solidago and Aster, 

 have turned out to be insect galls. 



Home and School, October. — John* Williamson describes and figures Trichomanes 

 radirans, found at Rock-castle Springs, Ky., by Mrs. Yandell. There are five figures, 

 giving a general view' of the plant, and magnified views of the fruit receptacle and 

 sporangia. 



A Gatalofjue of the 'Forest trees of the United States, by Geo. Vasey, M. D. — This 

 pamphlet is meant to illustrate the "collection of forest-tre& sections on "exhibition by 

 the Department of Agriculture at the Centennial Exiiibition." Sixteen feet is used as 

 the point where a slirub becomes a tree. The pamphlet contains 88 pages giving the 

 range and a few of the prominent characteristics of 419 trees. The two largest genera 

 are the oaks and pines, each of which embrace about 30 species. In getting together 

 the material for tliis exhibition, which was an immense labor, requiring great skill and 

 patience, and which reflects so much credit upon the Department and its Botanist, four 

 or five species unknown to our flora were obtained. "The^e are mainly in South 

 Florida, and include two exogens, viz., an Ano/ia, or Custard Apple, and AChrysopJiylluin, 

 or Star Apple; and one endogen, a Palm of the genus Thr/na.v.'" 



Gereus (jrandijlorns and Gereus Bonplan.dU, by Richard E. Kunze, M. D. — This 

 paper was read by Dr. Kunze before the Eclectic Medical Society of New York State. 

 It contains a fine colored plate of each species and gives their history, de.scription and 

 therapeutical application. 



Variations in the Size of Asters. Although prevented by the nature of my work 

 from a full study of the flora of Northern Indiana, yet in my walks along the Wabash 

 and Eel or along one of our railways I can not help being struck with the rich reward 

 a careful study of our fall Coniposit;^ would yield to the zealous student. On every 

 side we see the golden Solidago, bending its graceful head in conscious knowledge of 

 its beauty, or the Helianthus, standing boldly erect, as if it held the soil by right. 

 Scattered in their midst gleams the bright pur];)le and blue Asters, while in almost every 

 sodded nook and corner the bright Taraxacum turns toward you its cheerful face. In 

 walks merely for jileasure at the close of a day's labor, many minor points escaped 

 attention, yet one fact struck me particularly in regard to the Asters, and that was the 

 little attention they paid to the manual as regards their size. For example Aster 

 dumosus, L., said to be from 1" — 3" high, very rarely falls below 4o and I have seen it six. 

 Again Aster ericoides, L., instead of being from lo — 1}4° liigb, ranges from 2o — 4". On 

 the other hand ;vn As/Je?- which I judge to be A te/i!f(frt'«w, L., is very rarely found 2o 

 high, and yet that is the minimum given in Gray's manual. M. S. C. 



All communications should be addressed to 



. John M. ConUer, Hanover, Ind. 



M. S. Coulter.. Lo^ansport, Ind. 

 Terms: — Subscription $1.00 a year. Siuffle Xaitihers 10 cents. 



