295 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



each bundle consists of a V-shaped mass of tracheary tissue, inchid- 

 ing spiral, reticulated and pitted vessels, the last mentioned occupy- 

 ing the upper pans of the arms of the V, others lying towards its 

 point. The cavity of the V, which looks toward the periphery of the 

 stem, contains a poorly developed sieve tissue. Small-celled parenchy- 

 ma on its peripheral and lateral surfaces, and a varying amount of 

 fibrous tissue, mostly in connection with the tracheary tissue, com- 

 plete the structural elements of the bundle. 



In the meristem layer mentioned above, new bundles arise, and 

 thus increase the stem in a sort of exogenous manner, as is done in 

 the Dragon trees and other tree-Liliaces. This feature alone in the 

 structure of the Asparagus stem makes it an exceedingly valuable one 

 for study, as bundles of all ages may readily be obtained in the same 

 section. 



In the stem at the base of each leaf, those ascending bundles 

 which are connected with the fibro-vascular system of the leaf, divide 

 into four branches, two of which continue upward through the stem, 

 while two pass outward into the leaf. In each bundle, the ascending 

 cauline portions unite right and left with corresponding portions of 

 the adjacent bundles, while in a similar manner those which pass into 

 the leaf unite right and left, and form the principal leaf veins. 

 The bundles in the stem which connect with the fibro-vascular system 

 of the lateral stems (branches) divide at the baseof the latter into two 

 parts, which unite right and left and thus form the bundles of the lat 

 eral stem. A few of the branch-bundles have a deep connection in 

 the stem with bundles which have also an upward cauline exten 

 sion. 



It must not be forgotten that the leaves of the Asparagus are 

 quite small, flat, triangular, bract-like structures, and that the needle- 

 shaped bodies which constitute the so-called leaves, are in reality short, 

 leafless, lateral stems. — C. E. Bessev, Ames, Iowa. 



An Interesting Fernery. — My attention having been called 

 to some ferns growing in the crevices of the north wall of the old 

 Mass. Stale Prison in Charlestown, (no longer used as a prison) by 

 Mr. C. E. Perkins of Somerville, on examination I found four spe- 

 cies which I have identified as Aspleniuiit Eilix-fcrinina, Dicksonia 

 pilosiiiscula, Aspidium Thelypteris and a form of Aspidium spiiiido- 

 sum. 



The plants, with the exception of one growing high up beyond 

 my reach, but the fronds of which I afterward obtained with the aid 

 of a long pole and found to be a well fruited specimen of A. Eilix- 

 fa'mina, were, as might be expected in such a situation, merely depau- 

 perate forms and mostly sterile. 



I collected a few fertile fronds of A. Filix-foemina that might very 

 well pass for '■'var. exile " some of them not more than 4 or 5 inches 

 tall and sparing, one or two quite well pointed. 



'J'he other species were all sterile, and the specimens, except those 

 of A. spinulosuni, were not at first clearly distinguishable being small 



