72 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



which it appeared that for the six months ending with September the 

 mean for 1879 was fully 5° less than for 1878, the deficiency of day 

 temperature amounting to nearly 10°. Of 11 deciduous trees, exclu- 

 sive of oaks, the.deficiency of growth durmg 1879 as compared with 

 1878 was 42 per cent.; of 17 evergreens of the pine tribe the deficien- 

 cy was 20 per cent.; and oi 7 oaks the deficiency was 10 per cent. 

 The 7 oaks werej of different species but they gave results closely 

 agreeing with each other. — Nature. 



Bulletin of tht Torrev Botanical Club.— After ten years of 

 quiet unassuming life, this publication has blossomed out in a fash- 

 ion that gratifies Its friends. Vol. VII, No. i, appears with a cover, 

 12 pages of reading matter and two plates. Four years ago the Bul- 

 letin complimented us by saying that we had patterned after it, and 

 now we intend to return the compliment and say that the Bulletin has 

 at last followed the example set by the Gazette as to number of 

 pages and cover and surpassed us in the matter of plates. The num- 

 ber before us contains four articles, the firsu page being devoted to 

 proceedings of the Torrey club; the next seven are taken up by an article 

 from Mr. C. F. Austin, in which he makes some very severe criti- 

 cisms upon Lesquereux and James' last paper upon North American 

 Mosses. Then comes a description of a new fungus, by W. R. 

 Gerard, and '\X, is to this that the two plates are devoted. The 

 new fungus is a species of Simbliou, a genus hitherto considered ex- 

 clusively tropical. The type specimens were collected in Long 

 Island. The fourth paper is a short list of plants, being additions to 

 the flora of Richmond county, N. Y. 



So the number ends, with no intimation whether this new order of 

 things is to be kept up or not, probably deeming it safer to promise 

 nothing. But, seriously, we are charmed with this evidence of 

 progress and we wish our esteemed contemporary all the success it so 

 richly deserves. 



Goon News to Botanists.- -The following correspondence ex- 

 plains itself. 'I'he facts stated may not be new to some exchangers, 

 but have never been made known before from official sources. 



Lafayette, Ind., Jan. 15, 1880. 

 D. M Key, P. M. General, Washington, D. C.: 



Dear Sir. — Under the present law cannot labels such as the en- 

 closed (an ordinary botanical label) be placed in a package of speci- 

 mens of dried plan's without subjecting them to higher than merchan- 

 dise rates? Very Respectfully, 



Chas. R. Barnes. 



Post Office Department, Office of the First Assistant Post- 

 master General. 



Washington, Jan. 24, 1880. 

 Respectfully returned to Charles R. Barnes, Esq., Lafayette, Tip- 

 pecanoe county, Indiana, with the statement that under the provis- 

 ions of section 231, Postal Laws and Regulatians, labels, such as that 



