IS I BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



of Brown University, to vvliich Mr. Olney gave his botanical collec- 

 tion by will, to complete the distribution so far as the plants received 

 and determined by the testator will allow. Mr. Bennett, in assisting 

 me with his great experience, has had sole charge of Carex and 

 brought neatness and order out of much that was chaotic. He will 

 be prompt to respond to any and all inquiries. — VV. VV. Bailey, 

 Curator, Brown University Herbarium. 



Recent Publications. — Check List of North American Ganwpe- 

 tahe after CompositcE —1^\\\<. \s a very neatly printed pami)hlet of 12 

 pages, published by Harry N. Patterson, Oquawka, 111. Mr. Patter- 

 son's printing is well enough known to be its own recommendation 

 and the list given will be of very grjat use. We very much need a 

 new and complete check-list of all our North American Ph;ienogims 

 and Vascular Cryptogams, with every sj^ecies numbered as in Mann's 

 Catalogue. It is vastly more convenient to write out a list of num- 

 bers than of long b 'tanical names. For price see the advertisement. 



Practical Uses of the Microscope — This is included in the Inaug- 

 ural Address of Dr. R H. Ward to the American Society of Micro- 

 scopists. No one could be much better fitted for speaking up )n 

 such a subject than Dr. Ward The practical use most largely spoken 

 of is what may be called the legal use, such as the examination of 

 signatures, etc. With considerable curiosity we looked through the 

 pamphlet to see the o: minion of such high authority concerning the 

 practical importance of the binocular arrangement. This is what we 

 found: "The binocular arrangement has grown from an experiment 

 of disputed value to a priceless luxury if not a literal necessity." We 

 would like very much to know from our working histologists how 

 much they use the binocular arrangement, and if they use it at all, 

 with what powers. 



On the Microscopic Crystals Contained in Plants. -Mr. W. K Hig- 

 ley. of Ann Arbor, has been examining a great many plants with ref- 

 erence to their crystals and the results are brought together in this 

 paper, a reprint from the American N'aturalist. The crystals are con 

 sidere'd under the three heads of Raphides, Sphii'rai)hides and Crys- 

 tal prisms These names have already been defined in a previous 

 no ice, but it mav be said further that Mr. Higley's observations seem 

 to show that the raphi les are composed of phosphate of lime, the 

 acicular or crystal prisms of oxalate- of lime, the cubical crystals of 

 carbonate of lime, the sphiieraphides of .the same Dase combined with 

 different acids according to locality. The author thinks that their 

 great abundance would'point to some use to the nlant itself. l\vo 

 uses to man are suggested, first, that the ])hosphates these crystals 

 contain mav strengthen bones, and second, through decaying leaves 

 and stems they act as a fertilizer. A list of 71 ph?enogamous families 

 is given, known to contain crystals, 46 being exoge.is and 25 



endogens. 



Useful and Noxious Plants.— T\\\?. is the first annual report upon 

 this subject by Prof. T. J. Burrill, Botanist oi the Illinois Stale Board 



