82 ERYTHEA. 



During the last two years the natural vegetation of alkali lands 

 in California has been the subject of inquiry by the College of 

 Agriculture of the University of California, and some preliminary 

 field observations and results of investigations appear in a paper in 

 the Report for the years 1895-7. In this paper Mr. J. B. Davy 

 tells us that at least 197 native Californian species are restricted to 

 alkali soils. In the Kern and Tulare Regions he finds the most 

 characteristic species to be the following : Sesuvium portulacastrum, 

 Tissa spp., Salicornia sp., Suseda Torreyana, Kochia Califomica, 

 Allenrolfea occidental-is, Anemopsis Califomica, Nitrophila occiden- 

 tals, Centromadia pungens, Bigelovia veneta, Atriplex sp.,Frankenia 

 grandifiora campestris, Sporobolus airoides and asperifolius, and 

 Distichlw spicata. 



Bulletin ISTo. 20 of the Division of Botany of the Department 

 of Agriculture deals with the " Principal Poisonous Plants of the 

 United States." The author of this report is Mr. V. K. Chesnut 

 who has in preparation a manual of our native poisonous plants. 

 In this bulletin only the most common or well-known species are 

 listed, but rather full information is set down concerning the 

 botanical character of the plant, its habitat, its poisonous constitu- 

 ents, causes of poisoning, symptoms and remedies, besides historical 

 notes and short descriptions of allied species. Delphinium Geyeri 

 of the Rocky Mountain region and D. Menziesii of the Northwest 

 are named as notoriously poisonous in the regions^ which they 

 inhabit; and D. recurvatum is said to be fatal to animals in San 

 Luis Obispo County, California. 



Mr. Chesnut spent the month of July of this year in field-work 

 in the Round Valley region. He is in charge of the investigations 

 on poisonous plants and solicits correspondence with local botanists, 

 mail- franks for the forwarding of specimens being furnished to 

 those who desire them. 



Mr. C. R. Dodge is the author of "A Descriptive Catalogue of 

 the Useful Fibre Plants of the World," which has been in prepara- 

 tion something over twenty years. The work is issued by the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture, of which Mr. Dodge is special agent. 

 Each plant is described under its Latin name, the arrangement 

 being alphabetical, with cross-reference from the common to the 



