BOTANICAL NEWS. 61 



Dr. William Ogle has published, in the January number of tlie ' Popular 

 Science Review,' tlie results of his continued observations on the fertilization 

 of plants with didynamous stamens. He details the arrangements found in Pe- 

 (Ocularis, Melampyrum, Rhinanthus, Teucrmni Scorodonia, Thymus Serpi/llum, 

 Origanum, and other Labiates and Scrophulariads, and states that in all of them 

 the stigmas of the older flowers are fertilized by the stamens of younger ones, 

 and that insect agency is necessary to effect this. 



The leading article of the ' Agricultural Gazette' for January 29th deals with 

 the subject of the germination of Cuscida Trifolii. The seeds are small, about 

 half the size of those of C. Epilinmn ; they germinate only in tlie soil, not as has 

 been stated also in the capsule ; the young plant is thread-like and leafless, the 

 testa remains at the radical end, whilst in C. Epilinum it is elevated to the apex 

 of the plumule. The plant grows rapidly, and soon climbs on to the plant it 

 attacks. The writer succeeded in growing it on Trifolium incarnatum, pra- 

 tense, perenne, medium, and hybridum. The first crop is usually destroyed by 

 farming before the seeds have ripened, and the second crop, wliich is that usually 

 seen, has rarely time to come to maturity. 



The new year has introduced several improvements in scientific jounaalistic 

 literature. The ' Gardener's Chronicle' has adopted better type, and by the 

 omission of its general news, has gained space for more special matter and for 

 woodcuts. The ' Athenteum' is also altered in appearance by larger print. We 

 are sorry to see, however, that no moi'e space is devoted to science, of which we 

 were led to expect a considerable extension. We notice also the appearance of 

 ' The Scientific Summary,' au advertising medium, which contains, however, a 

 judicious selection of cuttings. 'Nature,' ' Scientific Opinion,' and the 'Aca- 

 demy,' the ' Popular Science Review,' and ' Science Gossip,' all continue their 

 endeavours to satisfy the scientific public. 



The Rev. W. H. Purchas's ' Flora of Herefordshire' is in the press, and pro- 

 mises, from the character of the early pages, which we have been permitted to 

 see, to be an excellent county Flora. 



The East Kent Natural History Society have determined on compiling a 

 Flora of the eastern half of the county of Kent, and have issued a circular de- 

 tailing the plan on which it is intended to carry it out. It is to be housed that 

 the Society will see the wisdom of somewhat modifying their scheme, and espe- 

 cially of abandoning the intention of disregarding all records previous to 1839, 

 the date of the publication of Cowell's ' Floral Guide.' The chstrict in ques- 

 tion has the richest flora of any part of England, and from its proximity to 

 continental Europe, possesses a special interest. Historically, the earliest dates 

 of the observation of each species would be interesting, and botanically, likely 

 to lead to some valuable I'csuits bearing on the origin of many doubtfully na- 

 tive species. 



Professor M. A. Lawson, of 0.>£.ford, contemplates the compilation of a Flora 

 of Oxfordshire. 



Lichenologists will be glad to hear that the Rev. W. A. Leighton's ' Lichen- 

 Flora of Great Uritain,' on which he has been many years engagetl, is drawing 

 towards completion. 



