BOTANY. 1 7 



them through the stomata of the leaves. In addition to the compounds 

 already mentioned, the author investijiated the action of pyridine, ana- 

 line, and phenol, all of which he found to have a detrimental effect on 

 vegetation. 



The effect of city fog on iiowers and flower buds was observed to be 

 as injurious as in the case of the leaves. 



A study of the constituents of the nodes and internodes of the 

 sugarcane, J. L. Beeson {Amer. Chem. Jour., 16 {1894), JSfo. (J, j^P- 

 457-464). — The author reports his investigations on the source of the 

 reducing sugar found iu the expressed canejnice. It is the common 

 belief that the nodes are tlie main source of the reducing sugar, but 

 numerous analyses show by comparing the nodes with the internodes 

 that the higher percentage is found in the internodes. The author 

 summarizes as follows: 



" It has been found in the course of this investigation that the juice of the nodes of 

 the cane is (juite different i'rom that of the iuternodes, containing markedly less 

 reducing sugars, more 'solids not sugar,' and more coagulable bodies; that the 

 'tiber' of the nodes coutains more albuminoids, more insoluble carbohydrates not 

 sugars which readily pass into reducing sugars; that as the cane deteriorates reduc- 

 ing sugars are iormed more rapidly in the nodes than in the interuodes, and that 

 jjrohably glnclose is the lirst visible productof jdant assimilati'jn by the young caue. 

 In our opinion these facts can be best explained by the hypothesis that the physio- 

 logical function of the node in the cane is siuiilar to that of the seeds in the case of 

 dowering plants— to store food in the region of the eye for the use of the young 

 l)lant before it has taken sufficient hold of the earth to draw sustenance from the 

 atuiosphcre and soil. This hypothesis is further confirmed by the fact that the iso- 

 lated nodes of the cane when planted will germinate and grow to maturity. 



"If this be true in regard to the cane, it may be true also in the case of all varieties 

 of plants which propagate from the nodes or joints." 



The perennity of mycelium, E. Eoze {Bui. Soc. Mycol. France, 10 

 {18'Jl), JSFo. 3,px). 94-97). — The autiior found several specimens of PeHjft 

 coccinea during the month of February, and this led him to investi- 

 gate the subject of the perennity of the mycelium of a large number of 

 mushrooms. He gives a preliminary list of genera and species of Ba- 

 sidiomycetes having a perennial m.ycelium, and requests the reporting 

 to him of others when observed. 



Sexual reproduction of fungi, P. A. Dandeard (Le Botunisie, 1803, G, pp. 221; abs. 

 i)i Bot. Centhl.,5S (1894), 10, 2)p. 324-337).— An account of the methods of reproduc- 

 tion in Ustilago, Doassansia, Entyloma, Urocij-^tis, and Tilletia. 



The irritability of plants, W. Pi'effer ( Verhandl. Ges. bot. deut. Xaturforsdi. nud 

 Aerzle, 1S9S; abs. in Bot. ZUj., 52 {1894), pt. 2, No. 2, pp. 22-24). 



The chemical irritability of fungi, M. Mivosui {Bot. Ztf/., 52 {1804), pt. I, No. 1, 

 pp. 1-27; abs. in Bot. Cenibl., 58 {1894), No. 5, pp. 1GI-IG4). 



Effect of the so-called chemical intensity of light on the grovvth of plant 

 organs, ,J. Wiesxer {Sitzniigsber. Wiener J kad. Wissensch., 102, 1, p. 201; abs. in Nattir- 

 irrs.s. Bioidsch., 9, pp. 160-162, and Chem. Cenibl., 65 {1894), I, No. 19, p. 000). 



The influence of mechanical strain on the gro-wth of plants, R. Hec.lkij (CoJin's 

 Bnfrcifj. Biol. PJianze, 6 {1893), pp. 582-432; abs. in. Bot. Cenibl., 58 {1S04), No. 0, pp. 

 290-301). 



107G— No. 1 2 



