224 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1899. 



That evergreen plants, sucli as Rhododendron maxiinmn, have an 

 immense advantage in the struggle for existence goes without 

 saying. The fact that a plant can transpire, can metabolize food, 

 can respire and conduct the elaborated material during the cold of 

 Avinter is of very considerable biological significance. Other trees 

 and shrubs are practically dormant during the cold of the winter 

 months. They must develop and vegetate during the warmer 

 months of the year, while Rhododendron maximum is ready, as our 

 experiments go to prove, to avail itself of all the passing atmos- 

 pheric and meteorological conditions, whether of winter or summer, 

 which are favorable to its groAvth. 



