562 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Studies on the coast redwood, G. J. Peirce {Proc. California Acad. Sci., 3. ser., 

 Bot., 2 {1901), No. 3, pp. 83-106, pi. l). — Attention is called to the habit of Sequoia 

 sempervirens of reproducing itself vegetatively by means of suckers from the roots or 

 stumps. This power is possessed by comparatively few coniferous plants. The 

 author takes exception to the statement by Gannett (E. S. R., 11, p. 456) that " with 

 the clearing away of the present forests the end of the species as a source of lumber 

 will be at hand," and states that so far as the region south of San Francisco, in the 

 vicinity of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is concerned, the redwood is reproduced in suf- 

 ficient abundance and has attained profitable size, and that it still occurs in profitaljle 

 quantity. The growth of the sprouts from the stumps and underground parts appears 

 to be considerably faster than that of plants from seed. The sprouts or sui'kers are 

 not wholly dependent upon themselves for the food required, and for this reason the 

 young trees attain a considerable height and diameter in a few years. If allowed to 

 grow and reasonably protected against drought, there appears to be no reason why 

 valuable redwood timber should not continue to be produced. The author believes 

 that by the method of vegetative reproduction, even under present climatic condi- 

 tions, it will be possible to secure the continuance of the redwood forests in the 

 regions where they now occur, provided lumbering operations are so conducted that 

 the production of suckers and sprouts is not interfered with by destructive fires. 



In the second part of this paper the author discusse.s some peculiarities noted for 

 the vegetative shoots of young redwoods. Fasciation appears to be quite common 

 and is probably due to external injuries producing w^ounds which form suckers in so 

 great abundance as to insure the fusion of adjacent parts of the very young branches. 



An interesting feature described is that of albinism, which is a peculiarity of some 

 sprouts which come from stumjis or old roots. These sprouts are sometimes perfectly 

 white and may attain a height of 30 cm. in the course of the season. This growth 

 is about one-third that of normal shoots and the increase in diameter is reduced in 

 about the same i)roportion. While specimens of albinos that are several years old 

 are reported, it appears that the tissues are less able to withstand the winter than 

 those produced from green shoots, and as a result the white forms are frequently 

 frozen to the ground. Microscopical examinations made of the 2 forms of shoots 

 showed considerable differences, the most marked being in the leaves. In the albino 

 forms there was little differentiation of the cell contents in the leaves, and in most 

 cases there was no indication of the formation of plastids or chromatophores. Accord- 

 ing to the author, the albinos are probably the result of growth at a temperature too 

 low for the production of chlorophyll, and the protoplasm of the cells is so interfered 

 with that its normal functions are not performed. The white redwoods live para- 

 sitically upon the old roots, being dependent entirely upon the elaborated material 

 found in the old stumps. There appears to be no tendency on the part of the 

 leaves to form chlorophyll when the temperature is sufficiently high for its jjroduc- 

 tion, and the author believes that tlie environmental conditions are stronger than 

 the hereditary tendency of the plant to produce chlorophyll. A single experiment, 

 in which a plant was removed from its attachment to the roots and transplanted, is 

 reported, the plant dying, but not until a slight coloration was noticed in some of 

 the leaves. This phase of the subject is to be investigated further. 



Tlie Pennsylvania hemlock output {Forest Leaves, 8 {1901), No. 2, p. 30). — 

 The forests of Pennsylvania are said to have yielded annually about 1,000,000,000 ft. 

 of lienilock lumber. In addition large amounts of hemlock bark were obtained for 

 use in tanning. Recent changes in tanning methods will, it is believed, bring 

 about a heavy decrease in the demand for hemlock bark and as a result logging 

 operations will be diminished. This will tend to conserve the timber and supi)ly of 

 bark for a much longer period than has seemed possible under the previous con- 

 sumption. 



