104 



BOTANY. 



Edited by William Scott. 



Aster Nov^-ANGU/ii, varietal forms (i).— The only station in 

 the vicinity of Ottawa for this fine Michaelmas Daisy is Casselman, 

 where some clumps bearing flowers of a beautiful pure white were found 

 on Sept. £o, growing with the ordinary form. — W. S. 



(2) Another beautiful form was brought from Toronto by Dr J. 

 E. White, bearing flowers which varied from pale mauve to deep lilac. 

 The flowers which opened first were deepest in colour. — J. F. 



Gentiana saponaria. — Dr. White also brought with him to 

 Ottawa fine fl )vvering specimens and living roots of this rare Gentian. 

 The roots, with some other rare plants presented by Dr. White, are now 

 planted in th;j herbaceous border of the Botanic Garden at the Central 

 Experin'iental Farm. — J. F. 



Hf.lianthus decapetalu ■. — A noticeable feature of the Ottawa 

 woods in Autumn is the absence of all species of wild sunflowers. H. 

 decapetahxs, however, occurs at Casselman and is apparently becoming 

 more abundant ttiere than formerly. — W. S. 



Glyceria elongata. — This is one of our most local grasses. It 

 has been found sparingly at Kingsmere, but at Casselman it occurs in 

 almost every damp gully. — W. S. 



Potato Rot. — A good object lesson demonstrating the value of 

 scientific knowledge, is to be seen just now at the Experimental Farm. 

 Some potato plants which were twice sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture 

 to prevent the blight are now perfectly covered with green leaves, while 

 all the others around them, and even in the same row, which were not 

 treated, have been brown and dead for three weeks. — J. F. 



Umbrella Mushrooms. — -Those botanists of the Club who are 

 lucky enough to know the gastronomic qualities of Coprimis comatiis 

 have lately enjoyed many dishes of this delicious mushroom. No other 

 fungus resembles it. The shape is at first elongated oval or egg-shaped, 

 but later like a half-closed umbrella, from 3 to 10 inches in height, 

 white when young and covered outside with small brownish hairy tufts. 

 When old it deliquesces into a black inky fluid. — J. F. 



