1871.] 



AND HORTIGULTUBIST. 



185 



grew at the rate of two and a half inches in the 

 same specified time. He also noted that the 

 constant presence of light increased those secre- 

 tions in plants which are due to the influence of 

 actinic force on the leaves. The coloring matter 

 and pigment cells were in much greater amount, 

 and the tints of the colored parts were conse- 

 quently deeper. The same effect was produced 

 upon the secretions which give flavor and odor, 

 so that the fruits of Northern Norway, though 

 less sweet, are more savory than those grown in 

 the South. 



New Classification of Monocotyledons. — At 

 the recent meeting of the Linnaean Society, 

 Mr. Bentham, F. E. S., presented a long paper on 

 the classification and nomenclature of monoco- 

 tyledons. In the brief account he gave of the 

 contents of his paper he urged that, in describing 

 plants, care should be taken to employ terms 

 that state facts and do not involve a theory as to 

 what the parts described represent in other 

 plants. He complained of the carelessness with 

 which many writers indiscriminately employ 

 terms. His new classification involves great 

 changes. It was es])ecially pointed out that ex- 

 ternal appearance is often misleading, and, for 

 example, the Iris and the Lily in the new scheme 

 are widely separated, the Liliaca? being brought 

 into close proximity with the Smilacse. Enough 

 was said of the paper to show that when pub- 

 lished it will arouse an unusual amount of inter- 

 est among botan'sts. — Gardener's Magazine. 



SCEAFS AND QUERIES. 



The Double-headed Callas. — We have had 

 numerous specimens sent to us since our last ap- 

 peared, and have seen many growing. They 

 must have been unusually numerous the past 

 season. No doubt the peculiar arrestation of 

 bud growth necessary to form the embrj'onic 

 flower last Fall, was imperfect. It grew a little 

 after having started to form the flower-bud, and 

 then was again speedily arrested. It is like the 

 rebounding of a stone on the water when thrown 

 at an angle. It does not immediately sink as 

 when it fi\lls more in right line. The peculiar 

 season was no doubt connected with this pecu- 

 liar disturbance. 



Variations in Fecan Nuts. — G. F. N. writes: 



" Please find herewith two nuts. No. 1 (the 

 smaller), is sold in our fruit stores as the ' Texas 

 Pecan.' In appearance it differs from the ordi- 

 nary pecan. On cracking it you will find less of 

 the bitter lining of that nut, and the meat 

 plumper and sweeter. 



" The other is said to be a cross between the 

 Hickory and Pecan. A few were given to me ; 

 I think they come from Tennessee. My family 

 cracked one of them, and found it had a thicker 

 shell and a smaller meat than the Pecan. I wish 

 you would plant this, and should extra assort- 

 ment be necessary, please inform me." 



[We have little faith in what " is said to be " 

 about hybrids in nature. They probably rarely 

 occur, and we know of no direct proof in any 

 one case instanced. It is forgotten how great is 

 a plant's own innate power of variation. At the 

 late Centennial Exhibition, the Spanish collec- 

 tion contained a wonderful variety of the com- 

 mon European walnut— Madeira nuts— many 

 of them more distinct in appearance from one 

 another than these Pecan nuts appear ; but they 

 are not hybrids, for there is no other species but 

 the one— Juglans regia— nothing to hybridize 

 with. 



The whole race of Shellbarks and Pecans are 

 worth looking after in the wild woods ; and when 

 any are found first-rate select them, and grc^ 

 them. It is a slow and uncertain method to go 

 onby seed.— Ed. G. M.] 



Freezing of Sap.— A Galena friend says :— 

 " The opinion that sap freezes is a very common, 

 though it may be a very erroneous one. Not 

 long since we were talking with one of our fore- 

 most nurserymen, a man of ripe experience and 

 enviable success, who stated incidentally that trees 

 frozen solid in transportation may be thawed out 

 by immersion in water or by being buried ia 

 damp earth (the whole tree, roots and branches 

 being covered), and the tree will sustain no in- 

 jury by the frost. Now query if the sap may be 

 thus frozen out of the ground and thawed again 

 without injuring the vitality of the trees, why not 

 in the ground as well ?" 



[This is a correct observation. A tree which 

 may have its roots wholly encased in frost under 

 ground, escapes ; the same tree, its roots exposed 

 to the atmosphere, dies. If it has not been long 

 or severely frozen, it may be recovered by im- 

 mersing in cold water. 



In like manner tender roses or similar half- 

 hardy plants, kept in a close greenhouse where 



