BOTANY. 809 



of adulterated honeys, and 11 of mill feeds, the latter including- "wheat by-product," 

 oat feed, flax meal, cream and Atlas gluten meal, middlings, buckwheat hulls, and 

 mixed feed. 



BOTANY. 



Contributions to the life history of Amphicarpeea monoica, 

 Adeline F. Schively (Gontrib. Bot. Lab. Univ. Pennsylvania, I, N~o. 3, 

 pp. 270-363, pis. 18). — The author has made a very comprehensive study 

 of the life history of this plant, which, as was already known, bears 

 both aerial aud subterranean fruits. In the present study it was estab- 

 lished that f distinct types of pods and flowers were developed, 3 being 

 borne above ground and the other subterranean. The aerial flowers, 

 which are characteristically different, develop different kinds of pods. 

 A dimorphism resulting from the germination of the subterranean and 

 aerial seeds is also established, it being decidedly noticeable in the case 

 of plants grown during the winter and to a less degree in those grown 

 in the open during summer. It was found that the aerial cleistogamic 

 flowers or young pods may be converted into the subterranean forms 

 by burying them in the soil. 



A chemico-physiological study of Spirogyra nitida, Mary E. 

 Pennington (Gontrib. Bot. Lab. Univ. Pennsylvania, 1, JVo. 3, pp. 203- 

 259). — The author gives the results of a study of the chemistry and 

 physiology of Spirogyra nitida, in which some very interesting facts 

 are brought out. The conjugative cells show a widely different chem- 

 ical composition from the vegetative cells. The action under colored 

 screens modified the chemical composition of the alga according to the 

 rays of light received. 



"Violet rays prevented almost wholly the hydration of starch, and soon killed 

 the plant. Blue rays gave an imperfect hydration, but sufficient to preserve life 

 for some time. Starch was not formed in the cells. Green rays caused an active 

 assimilation with a continuous growth aud unusual protoplasmic motility. The 

 protoplasm was also in increased quantity. Green light favored the production of 

 crystals, particularly of calcium tartrate. Yellow rays caused elongation of the 

 cells, which contained abnormal quantities of soluble carbohydrate, but no starch, 

 no tannin, and no crystals. The cells were short lived. Orange rays caused a good 

 growth closely approximating the normal. Crystals were not plentiful, however, 

 and the sugar was in rather large quantity. Red rays caused a growth which was 

 even more rapid than that made in white light. Tannin was formed in larger quan- 

 tities than under the normal conditions." 



On the structure and pollination of the flowers of Eupatorium 

 spp., Laura B. Cross (Gontrib. Bot. Lab. Univ. Pennsylvania, L, No. 

 3, pp. 260-269, pi. 1). — The author has made a study of Eupatorium 

 ageratoides and E. ccelestium to determine the question of their pollina- 

 tion. It was found that self-pollination in species of Eupatorium is 

 very rare indeed, and that when it does occur the resulting fruits have 

 a very weak germinative capacity. When close pollination by hand 

 was effected a slight increase of good fruits was obtained ; but when 

 covered flowers were cross-pollinated the increase was very striking. 

 16436— No. 9 2 



