AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 631 



Along with more specific conclusions it is stated that considerable additions 

 of alcohol or ether produce a reversible lowering of the potential difference 

 between the living organ and the aqueous solution. This, it is thought, may 

 be related to a change from a soluble to an insoluble phase in case of ether. The 

 differences were more marked in case of vegetable tissue than in the experi- 

 ments with animal tissue. 



Comparative histology of alfalfa and clovers, Kate B. Winton {Bot. Oaz., 

 57 (lOlJf), No. 1, pp. 53-63, figs. 8).— On account of the common use of alfalfa 

 and clovers for preparing alfalfa meal, the author has made a study of the 

 different species :ind has presented a scheme for the identification of alfalfa. 

 red clover, and alsike clover, based on the characters of the epidermal cells 

 and the unicellular hairs of the leaf. 



On the mode of inheritance of certain characters in double-throwing 

 stocks, Edith R. Saunders {Ztschr. Induktive Ahstam. u. Vererhun-gslehre, 

 JO {1913), No. 4, pp. 297-310).— The author replies to a criticism of reports of 

 some of her work on the inheritance of doubleness in flowers (E. S. R., 26, p. 

 433; 30, p. 330), claiming that sex-limited inheritence can not explain the 

 phenomena of inheritance of doubleness and of plastid color in stocks. 



Mutation in tobacco, II. K. Hayes and E. G. Beiniiart {Science, n. ser., 

 39 {1914), No. 992, pp. 34, 35). — The authors give a description of a variation 

 that appeared in 1912 in a field of Connecticut shade-grown tobacco. The 

 variety of tobacco known as the Cuban had been grown since 1904 in the Con- 

 necticut Valley, and in 1912 over 100 acres of tobacco was grown from the 

 seed of the 1910 crop at the Windsor Tobacco Growers' Corporation. When the 

 crop was harvested a plant was noticed that was much taller than the others 

 and bore a large number of unpicked leaves. This plant, together with two 

 others that were later discovered, were transferred to the greenhouse of the 

 Connecticut State Station and there produced considerable seed. In 1913 

 al)out 5.000 plants were grown from this seed and these were all true to the 

 new type. 



In 1913 a planting was again made of 200 acres of plants from the original 

 1910 seed, and although a thorough search was made no mutating plants were 

 discovered. Two mutants were found at other plantations, however, that 

 presented the same character as that described above. Other mutations have 

 been found, indicating that the same mutation must have taken place several 

 times. 



Breeding- medicinal plants, F. A. Miller {Amer. Jour. Pharm., S5 {1913), 

 Xo. 7, pp. 291-801, figs. 5; Lilly Sd. Bid., 1. ser., No. 4 {1914), PP- 127-135, 

 fi,gs. 4)' — An account is given of experiments made to secure more uniform 

 strains with higher alkaloid content of belladonna {Atropa belladonna), hen- 

 bane {Hyoscyamus niger), stramonium {Datura stramonium and D. tatula), 

 and digitalis {Digitalis purpurea). In connection with the last comparisons 

 were made of 32 species and varieties to determine their yield, cultural charac- 

 ters, flowering period, and the effect of hybridizing on these various characters. 



On the apparent absence of apogamy in (Enothera, R. R. Gates {Science, 

 n. ser., 39 {1914), No. 992, pp. 37, 58).— In 1909 the author described some 

 experiments which suggested that CEnothcra was occasionally apogamous. In 

 1912 experiments were again carried on, much more extensively than previously, 

 the results of which were wholly negative, showing that if apogamy occurs in 

 CE. lata, it must be very rare. The author also calls attention to a recently 

 observed case of parthenocarpy in a race of Gv. muricata, in which capsules 

 developed normally but contained undeveloped ovules instead of seeds. 



Lectures on agricultural bacteriology, F. Lohnis {Vorlesungen iiher 

 huidwirtschaftliche Bakteriologie. Berlin, 1913, pp. VIII -{-398, pis. 10, figs. 



