1919] AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 821 



Notes on the Michigan flora, O. A. Farweld (Ann. Rpt. Mich. Acad. Sci., 20 

 {1918), pp. 161-195). — This paper begins a series intended to give notes and 

 discussion from time to time on rare or interesting Michigan plants. This 

 series is practically a continuation of the contributions to the botany of 

 Jlichigan begim in the Asa Gray Bulletin, which has been discontinued. 



A botanical trip to Mexico, I-II, A. S. Hitchcock (Sci. Mo., 8 (1919), Nos. 

 2, pp. 129-l-',5, figs. 19; 3, pp. 216-288, figs. 21). — Besides notes on topography, 

 climate, rainfall, and temperature, the author gives in the first part of this 

 contribution an account of botanical and agricultural observations in Mexico, 

 including floral regions, range conditions, and forage crops. The second part 

 deals with the common wild grasses of IMexico, more particularly with regard 

 to such topographical features as coastal plains, plateaus, mountains, ponds, 

 and marshes. 



Note on inheritance in Pliaseolus, \V, E. Bkotherton, jr.. (Ann. Rpt. Mich. 

 Acad. Sci., 20 (1918), p. 152). — Hybrids between three bush varieties of P. vul- 

 garis and the scarlet runner, tall variety of P. nmltiflorvs, gave in the Fi a 

 decrease of 50 per cent in length of hypocotyl as compared with that of the 

 maternal parent and an increase in length of epicotyl of 100 per cent as com- 

 pared with that of the bush parent, but no change in the height of the hybrid. 

 Long hypocotyl as found in tbe races of P. vulgaris is incompletely dominant 

 to short hypocotyl as found in P. muUiflorn^. 



It is suggested, therefore, that length of hypocotyl may afford a criterion of 

 the classification of Fa segregates. It in considered incorrect to speak of 

 hypogeal cotyledons as dominant to epigeal in this connection, since the posi- 

 tion of the cotyledons in relation to the surface of the earth may depend 

 largely on other than genetic factors. The essentially genetic factors are 

 those which determine the length of the hypocotyl, rather than the position of 

 the cotyledons in relation to the earth's surface. 



A case of Mendelian segregation in OEnothera pratincola, F. Cobb and H. H. 

 Bartlett (Ann. Rpt. Mich. Acacl. Sci., 20 (1018), p. 151). — The authors give 

 details regai'ding results obtained from crossings between mutants appearing in 

 the progeny of QiJ. pratincola as previously noted (E. S. R., 3-5, p. 128). 



Studies in the classification and nomenclatui-e of the bacteria, VIII— X, 

 R. E. Buchanan (Jour. Pact., 3 (1018), Nos. 4, pp. J,03-J,06; 5, pp. 461-^74; 

 6, pp. 541-^5/(5). — Three papers have been added following up those previously 

 noted (E. S. R., 40, p. 521), dealing respectively with The Subgroups and 

 Genera of the Actinomyeetales, The Subgi-oups and Genera of the Thiobac- 

 teriales, and Subgroups and Genera of tlie Myxobacteriales and SplrochfEtales. 



Comments on the evolution and classification of ba.cteria, R. S. Breed, H. J. 

 Conn, and .L C. Baker (Jour. Pact., 3 (1918), No. 5, pp. U5-459) .—T\\\si is a 

 critical examination, with references, of the several gi'oups of bacteria as 

 proposed by the committee appointed by the Society of American Bacteriologists 

 and consisting of Winslow et al. (E. S. R., 37, p. 819), and as suggested by 

 other authors named (in connection with their contributions). 



Bacteria which survive in fractional sterilization, E. Eckelmann (Centbl. 

 Bakt. [etc.-i, 2. Abt., 48 (1918), No. 5-9, pp. 140-178, pis. 2, figs. 5).— The study 

 here described of bacteria as regards their powers of resistance to sterilizing 

 agents shows that bacteria resistant to such agents are to be found in many 

 different situations, though the reasons for their absence in certain cases have 

 not been determined. 



Ph.vsiological relations seem to exist between species in widely separated 

 i-egions. Germinability and resistance of spores were unimpaired in some 

 cases cited, after 13 years of preservation in a dry condition. Difficulty of 



