BOTANY. . 923 



enous' substances and phosphoric acid returning to the tree probably 

 in connection with the separation of insoluble albuminoids. Lime and 

 silicic acid move into the leaves, and potash may cither remain sta- 

 tionary, return to the stem, or move into the leaves, according to 

 circumstances. 



Starch distribution as affected by fungi, B. 1). IIalsted (Proc. 

 Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci.,47 (1898), pp. W8, 109). — The author has investi- 

 gated starch distribution in leaves as affected by fungi, and has exam- 

 ined leaves of Agrimonia mollis affected by Peronospora potentillce, of 

 Amphicarpcea monoica infested with Synchytrium decipens, leaves of 

 Ainarantus retroflexus attacked by Cystopits bliti. and mandrake leaves 

 affected with Puccinia podophylii. The leaves studied were placed in 

 a 50 per cent solution of alcohol to remove the chlorophyll and then 

 passed to a weak solution of iodin. In a few hours, if the leaf is thin, 

 the starch responds to the iodin test and is located by the blue color. 

 In the cases of the leaves just mentioned the starch was present either 

 in the discolored spot or immediately around it; and this distribution 

 was very striking in the mandrake leaves, the starch being very 

 abundant in well-detined areas. None was met with beyond the small 

 veins that served as the boundaries of the infested portions. Smutted 

 corn leaves showed much starch in the bullate portions characteristic 

 of the affected parts. 



Stems infested with fungi showed the presence of starch, as was 

 shown in the case of the leaves. L'adish stalks which had become 

 hypertrophied, when sliced and placed in the iodin solution became 

 blue, while similar sections taken from a healthy portion of the same 

 stem showed but a very small amount of starch. Similar results were 

 also obtained with stems of purslane. Ordinarily the red cedar stem 

 contains but little starch, but the galls made by the Gynmosporangium 

 macropus abounded in it. Galls on peach roots were gorged with 

 starch, and turnips affected with the club-root fungus carry a large 

 amount of starch, while healthy tissue is comparatively free from it. 

 In like manner the tubercles of leguminous plants contain much starch, 

 while the roots bearing them are comparatively free from it. 



Poisonous properties of wild-cherry leaves, F. W. Morse and 

 C. D. Howard (New Hampshire Sta. Hid. 56, pp. 112-123, figs. 6). — In 

 1804 and again in 1807 a number of cases of poisoning of cattle were 

 reported to the station. An examination of the stomachs showed no 

 trace of metallic poisoning, but the symptoms, together with statements 

 relating to the feeding of the animals, seemed to indicate that death 

 was caused by eating wild-cherry leaves. 



In order to obtain some definite information on the amount of prus- 

 sic acid yielded by different species of cherry leaves, investigations were 

 carried over portions of 2 summers on the wild black cherry, choke 

 cherry, wild red cherry, wild yellow plum, and the dwarf cherry. The 

 first 2 species are quite common throughout the State, investigations 



