AGRICULrURA^L BOTANY. 621 



designed as a foundation for the study of agriculture, domestic science, or col- 

 lege botany. It Is intended to give the fundamentals regarding plant life in 

 such a manner as to arouse an interest in plants and an appreciation of their 

 role in organized life. The style is simple and direct, leading the young stu- 

 dent gradually to the more complex problems, which are presented in a very 

 simple manner. Exercises are appended to the various chapters, and by judi- 

 cious selection the teacher should be able to give his pupils a fairly adequate 

 knowledge of the principal facts regarding the plants of any locality. 



The useful plants of the Dutch East Indies, K. Heyne {Dc Nuttigc PUmtcn 

 van Nedcrlandsch-Indic. BatavUi: Dcpt. Landb., Nijv. en Handel, 1013, vol. 1, 

 pp. 250-\-XXVJI). — In this work the author describes the principal economic 

 plants occurring in the Dutch East Indies and gives a synoptical catalogue of 

 the collections in the technical museum at Buitenzorg. Detailed notes arc 

 given on the occurrence, distribution, parts used, methods of preparation, cul- 

 ture, commerce, etc. The present volume includes the genera and species of 

 the families from Cycadacese to Orchidaceae. 



Northwest flora, T. C. Frye and G. B. Rigg (Seattle, Wash. [1913], pp. 

 453). — This manual includes the flowering plants only and covers the States of 

 Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and the southwestern portion of British Co- 

 lumbia. Keys are presented, based as far as possible on easily determined 

 characters, by which It is thought it will be possible for the student to recog- 

 nize without difficulty the plants in the region included. 



Attempts to grow mistletoe on monocotyledons and succulent conserva- 

 tory plants, E, Heinkicher (Sitzber. K. Akad. Wiss. [Vienna], Math. Natunv. 

 KL, 121 (1912), 7, No. 7, pp. 541-572, pi. 1, figs. i2).— This is a fuller account 

 of studies noted previously from another source (E. S. R., 29, p. 352). 



Ripening and rest period of mistletoe seeds and conditions influencing- 

 germination, E. Heinricher (Sitzher. K. Akad. Wiss. [Vienna], Math. Natiinc. 

 KL, 121 (1912), /, No. 7, pp. 573-613, fig. i).— Reporting a further study of the 

 germination relations of Visourn album (see above), the author states that 

 seeds of ripe mistletoe berries from plants cut early and hung in open shaded 

 situations in October germinated readily in late fall and winter, but not in 

 spring, while those of live plants preserved their germinability all winter. 

 Indoor culture shortened both the rest period and germinating period of the 

 seeds, preserving their full germinability. Toward the red end of the spec- 

 trum both germinability and subsequent growth were favored, while toward 

 the violet end many seeds were killed before germination. Moisture and tem- 

 perature seemed to affect germination by influencing the activity of bacteria 

 and fungi present in the slime secretion which secures adhesion of the seeds 

 to the host plant. 



The role of acids in germination, Germaine Promsy' (Du Role des Acides 

 dans la Germination. Thes'is, Uiiiv. Paris, 1912, pp. 177, pi. 1, figs. 11). — The 

 author presents a detailed account of her investigations on the role of acids in 

 the germination of seeds, some of the results of the investigation having been 

 noted elsewhere (E. S. R., 27, p. 729; 29, p. 26). 



The author has found, from her study of a large number of seeds, that ger- 

 mination is favored by weak acidity in the medium, especially of those seeds 

 ^vhich are from fleshy acid fruits. An investigation of these fruits during 

 their decomposition showed that their acidity did not exceed the degree found 

 most favorable to the germination of their seeds. The organic acids favor an 

 increased dry weight in seedlings more than the mineral acids. Salts of the 

 stronger acids induced turgescence, but did not increase dry weight. 



The medium in which the seedlings were grown was found to bear an im- 

 portant role in the experiments. Kuop's solution always showed an antag- 



