BOTANY. 6"23 



experiments with barley, wheat, aiid onions are reported upon in con- 

 siderable detail. 



The method of experimentation was to keep half the objects in dark- 

 ness until most of the reserve material was used up, the other portion 

 being kept in the light for the same time in a solution containing caue 

 sugar. When the reserve material was nearly exhausted both lots of 

 plants were placed in the solutions containing the ammonium com- 

 pounds and kept in darkness. 



It was soon found that the sugar solutions checked the injurious 

 action of the weaker ammonium solutions, but had little if any influence 

 when the stronger (0.5 per cent) solutions were used. This action is 

 explained by the greater osmotic action of the ammonium solutions. 

 When the cells are already tilled with sugar or glycerol the entrance of 

 the injurious element is impeded. 



The general conclusion is that, "From all the observations described, 

 it follows that ammonium salts have a noxious action upon phaneroga- 

 mous plants if there is not a sufficient quantity of sugar present in the 

 plant. The sugar may convert the noxious ammonia into asparagin, 

 and as a consequence the noxious action is not noticed in well-nourished 

 plants." 



The principal phenomena of the poisonous effect of ammonium car- 

 bonate were a loss of turgidity and softening of the roots, loss of tur- 

 gidity and appearance of brown spots on leaves, and change of color 

 in the culture medium due to discoloration from the dead cells of the 

 plant. 



Notes on the grasses and forage plants of Iowa, Nebraska, and 

 Colorado, L. H, Pammel ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Division of Agrostology 

 Bui. 9, pp. 47, figs. 12). — The report given includes general observations 

 of the author on the physical conditions and other important questions 

 relative to forage production in the States named ; an enumeration of 

 the more important grasses and forage plants occurring in the States, 

 with economic notes, and a classified list of the grasses collected by the 

 author during the seasons of 1895 and 189G in Iowa, Nebraska, and 

 Colorado. 



Notes on the plants used by the Klamath Indians of Oregon, 

 F. V. Coville ( U. 8. Dept. Agr., Division of Botany, Contributions 

 from the U. 8. National Herbarium, vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 87-108). — The 

 author gives notes on the economic uses of plants by the Klamath 

 Indians of Oregon, based upon his observations while engaged in a 

 botanical survey of the plains of southeastern Oregon in the summer 

 of 1896. 



Studies of Mexican and Central American plants, J. N. Rose ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Division of Botany, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium, vol.5, No. 3, pp. 

 109-144, pis. 16, figs. 6). — Notes are given on a number of species of the orders Celas- 

 tracese, Rutacese, Burseraceie, and Cucnrbitacese, and on miscellaneous genera and 

 species; also synopses of the species of Heliocarpns, Wimmeria, the American species 

 Hermmannia, and Drymaria nodosa and its allies, and descriptions of miscellaneous 

 new species. 



