of certain special organs which are concerned either with the temporary storage of 

 reserve material or as absorptive organs. The author holds that mycorrhiza exist as 

 sort of internal saprophytes, taking through their haustoria some of the elaborated 

 material in the cortical cells of the host plant, and in turn the host plant makes use 

 of the mycorrhiza through the digestion and absorption of the haustoria and other 

 organs. Instead of a harmonious symbiosis, the author claims that the relationship 

 is one of feeble antagonism between the fungus and its host, A bibliography of lit- 

 erature is included. 



Heliotropism indirectly caused by radium, H.Molisch {Ber. Deut. Bot. Gesell., 

 23 (1905), No. 1, pp. 2-8, fig. 1: abs. in Jour. Cliem. Soc. [London], 88(1905), No. 512, 

 II, p. 412). — Experiments with radium preparations alone failed to show any helio- 

 tropic motion in seedlings of vetch, lentil, and sunflower, or in Phycomyces nitens, 

 but when mixed with zinc blende a very active movement was induced. The effect 

 is attributed not to the emanations from radium, but to the phosphorescence induced 

 in the zinc blende. Laboratory experiments were highly successful, but in a forcing 

 house the experiments failed, owing, it is thought, to the presence of traces of illu- 

 minating gas and other impurities in the air. 



Hemicellulose as a reserve material in forest trees, H. C. Schellenberg (Ber. 

 Deut. Bot. Gesell, 23 (1905), So. 1, pp. 36-45). — A summary is given of the observa- 

 tions of the author and others on the occurrence of hemicellulose as a reserve material 

 in forest trees. This form of cellulose is said to be deposited toward the end of the 

 growing season, and may be used by the tree any time before becoming lignified. 



Wild medicinal plants of the United States, Alice Henkel ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 89, pp. 76). — A compiled list is' given of the drug plants of 

 this country, using as a basis the catalogues of dealers in crude drugs and the stand- 

 ard works on systematic botany. 



Only such wild medicinal plants as have commercial value are considered. Both 

 official and nonofficial drugs are included in the list, the information being given 

 under the accepted botanical name of the plant. Brief notes are given indicating 

 the more important features of habit, growth, distribution, parts of the plant used, 

 and the official status of the product, etc. 



International catalogue of scientific literature. M — Botany (Internat. Cat. 

 Sci. Lit., 3 (1905), pp. VIII J r 909). — This is the third annual issue of the catalogue of 

 scientific papers published under the auspices of the International Council by the 

 Royal Society of London. The plan is the same as that previously announced 

 (E. S. R., 14, p. 637). The literature indexed is mainly that of 1903, the material 

 employed having been received between March, 1904, and February, 1905. The 

 author catalogue embraces about 5,000 titles. 



FIELD CROPS. 



The thorough tillage system for the plains of Colorado, TV. H. Olin (Colo- 

 rado Sta. Bui. 103, pp. 32, figs. 7). — The methods of plowing, harrowing, subsurface 

 packing, and summer fallowing in connection with dry farming are described; the 

 importance of seed selection for semiarid conditions pointed out; and directions for 

 the culture of different crops on semiarid lands are given. The annual rainfall in 

 Colorado is recorded and the experience in dry farming in other States is noted. 



In a limited cooperative experiment a field with a light seeding of wheat had as 

 good a stand as a field seeded at nearly twice the rate, due to the difference in the 

 size of the kernels. The rate of seeding different grain and forage crops in dry 

 farming is given in a table. 



Of the spring wheat varieties Kubanka durum has appeared best adapted to the 

 dry land areas of Colorado, and among the winter wheats Turkey Red has given the 



