AGKICULTUEAL BOTANY. 523 



ized branch which is of limited growth and bears a limited uumber of 

 specialized and cyclically arranged leaAes, its progenitor probably having been 

 an ordinary branch. 



A bibliography is appended. 



On the relationship between the number of ovules formed and the number 

 of seeds developing' in Cercis, J. A. Harris (Bui. Torrey Bot. Club. Jfl (1914), 

 No. 4, pp. 243-256, figs. 3). — Continuing the plan of treatment outlined in a 

 paper previou.sly noted (E. S. R., 29, p. 829) but employing in the later studies 

 Cercis canadensis, the author gives the results of studies carried out with 

 nearly 35,000 pods. The results are indicated in tabular and graphical form. 

 It is stated that the correlations for number of ovules formed and number 

 of seeds developed per pod were found to be positive and of a moderate, con- 

 siderable, or high degree of intensity. 



Reversion in prickly pears, D. Griffiths {Jour. Heredity, 5 (1914), No. 5, 

 pp. 222-225, figs. 2). — This is a brief account of a supposedly spineless Opuntia 

 from the island of Malta, which, since being planted at Chico, Cal.. has 

 developed spines on a part of the plant, also on plants developed from that 

 part. This is thought to be possibly a case of reversion showing that the 

 original ancestor of the Opuntias was spiny. 



The probable origin of CEnothera lamarckiana, H. de Vkies {Bot. Gas., 51 

 {1914), No. 5, pp. 345-361, pis. 3). — Summing up the results of this liistorical 

 investigation, the author states that CE. lamarckiana, as represented by speci- 

 mens studied a century or more ago and still preserved, remains entirely 

 unchanged at the present time, being now a well established component of the 

 flora of the eastern United States and of England. It is thought that the 

 strain which is now in cultivation, having been introduced into the trade 

 about 1850, was probably derived from some wild English stock which may 

 itself have come from the introduction into Europe of seeds collected by 

 some botanists of the eai'lier period of study referred to. 



An analytical and phytogeographical study of Leguminosas, L. Capitaine 

 {Etude Analytique ct Phytogeographique du (Iroupe <lcs Legumineuses. Paris, 

 1912, pp. 500, pis. 24)- — The author presents analytical keys to the tribes and 

 genera of leguminous plants, after which the geographic distribution of the 

 species is discussed at length. 



The seed of the Leguminosae, L. Capitaine {Les fTraines dcs Legumineuses. 

 Paris, 1912, pp. XII +455, pis. 26, figs. 692).— The results are given of a study 

 of the external morphological characters of seeds of a large number of species 

 of leguminous plants. The author claims that the seeds of leguminous plants 

 have characteristics by which the species may be generally recognized, and 

 that numerous characters of convergence indicate adaptations which should be 

 considered in a study of the seed and of the geographic distribution of the 

 species producing it. 



The culture of Leguminosae with particular reference to nitrogen assimi- 

 lation, B. Heinze {Jahresber. Ver. Angew. Bot., 10 {1912), pp. 15-114). — 

 Reporting a continuation of work previou.sly noted (E. S. R., 26, p. 37), the 

 author shows that serradella on ground previously used for clover showed a 

 distinct gain in green and in dry weight, also in percentage of nitrogen, after 

 being inoculated with bacteria from soil in which serradella had been grown. 

 Both lupines and serradella on land previously used for the latter gave a 

 greater increase of nitrogen content than did either after potatoes, oats, peas, 

 or vetches. The effects of several cultures offered on the market are also 

 discussed. 



