720 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and hat- arranjied the studietJ fj(j as to secure familiarity with the things of everyday 

 life. A feature of the work is its iUustrations, which are nearly all new and well 

 chosen to illustrate their respective topics. 



The plant covering- of Ocracoke Island, T. II. Kearney {U. S. Dept. Acjr., 

 Diris'ioa of Butanij, ('untiibutiDHx from Ihe I'. S. Xational Jlerbdrwm, vol. 5, No. 5, 

 pp. 261-319, Jign. IS). — An ecological study is given of the North Carolina strand 

 vegetation as shown upon Ocracoke Island. The climate and physiography of the 

 island and geology of its soils are described, together with the plant formations as 

 exhibited in the strand flora, salt-marsh vegetation, pasture, and cultivated plants. 

 The ecological forms and adaptations to environment of the different plants are 

 discussed, and the anatomy of some of the more important species of the strand 

 flora is figured and described. 



Geographical distribution of the species of Cuscuta in North America, 

 Alida 31. CuNMNcuAM [I'roc. Indiana Acad. Sci., 1SU8, jijk 214, 21.5). — Notes are 

 given on the geographical distribution of the dodders into the different life zones 

 as defined by Dr. C. H. Merriam, of this Department. 



The absorption of w^ater by decorticated stems, G. E. Ripley {Proc. Indiana 

 Acad. Sci., lS!tS, jqi. 169-174)- — A number of exjieriments are reported in which the 

 ability to take up water by stems which had had their cortex removed was compared 

 with those in which the wood had been cut out, and both compared with normal 

 stems. The experiments showed that the woody tissue is the principal path for the 

 passage of water through stems, and the removing of the cortex delayed the wilt- 

 ing of the stems for some hours beyond that in which it took place in normal stems. 



Transformations of organic substances during germination, G. Axdre 

 (('ouipt. Bend. Acad. Sci. Parin, 1.30 {1900), No. 11, pp. 72S-7S0). — From experiments, 

 made chiefly on Phaseolus, it is concluded that the regeneration of insoluble albu- 

 minoids takes place at the expense both of asparagin and of the nitrogen of the amid 

 acids. This is said to take place concurrently with the absorption of phosphoric acid 

 by the plant. Starch and cellulose decrease progressively from germination until 

 the time when the weight of the plant is greater than that of the seed, while the 

 amount of cellulose not saccharized by dilute acids continually increases, this being 

 due in a large degree to the transformation of starch. 



FERMENTATION—BACTERIOLOGY. 



Tobacco bacteria, C. J. Koning {Lidische Merc\iui\ 1899, July 8; 

 (lbs. hi Jour. Roy. Jl/'cro.^. Soc. [Zondo?}]., 1900, JVo. 4,J>' oOl). — Accord- 

 ing to investigations conducted by the author, DSploeoecus tahac! and 

 Bacillus tabaci I play an important part in the fermentation of 

 tobacco. B. tabae! I is motionless, aerobic, and varies mtich in size 

 in artificial cultures. It does not stain h\ Orannn's method nor form 

 spores. It is killed in 2(i minutes at 00'-' C. and in 5 hours at 50^. 

 Peculiar ycast-like appearances were observed in agar cultures some 

 weeks old hut on transference to fresh media normal growth returned. 

 Asparagin is decomposed with the formation of annnonia, nitrates are 

 reduced to nitrites, glucose consumed, and gelatin liquefied. On natu- 

 rally acid tobacco extract the bacillus does not grow well, doing better 

 when the acidity is diminished. Diplocoecus tnhaci forms small round 

 yellow colonies on gelatin plates, grows best at room temperatures, 

 and forms ammonia from asi)aragin. It is an essential aerobe and 

 grows well on acid media. Gelatin is slowly and feebh' liquefied by it. 



