THE SUBAEEIAL TEANSMIGRATION 61 



evolution has ever before been achieved. Incidentally it shows 

 that the answer to such fundamental questions as — why are plants 

 composed of cells? or, why is their reproductive mechanism so 

 complex ? — must be sought in the sea. " The beginnings of Botany 

 are in the sea " ; and the equipment of the land-plant is necessarily 

 inherited from its marine ancestors. No student or school of botany 

 can afford to neglect or overlook this illuminating contribution to a 

 much debated branch of natural science. 



Dr. Church's writings constitute a new era in the study of botany. 

 It is perhaps to be regretted that his hyjDotheses are presented in so 

 condensed a style; the reading demands sustained effort to follow 

 the close reasoning and to retain and grasp the logical conclusions. 

 Dr. Church has laid the botanical world under a great obhgation ; 

 and it is with the greatest interest that we look forward to further 

 publications by so inspiring and suggestive a writer. A. G. 



BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, etc. 



Theee recent contributions (1919) to the Journal of the College 

 of Science of the Imperial University of Tokyo reach us for notice : 

 all are written in German and are suitably illustrated. — In Eesearches 

 on^ Water- Absorption by Cut Branches (xKii. 2), Taneyoshi Matsu- 

 shima emphasizes the fact that diminution of absorptive activity is 

 insignificant in plants with abundant woody parts, but very con- 

 siderable in forms with latex, mucilage, or resin -secreting tissues. 

 In the latter case burning the cut ends assists water-absorption. The 

 presence of acids, especially organic ('1 to 1 %), normally increases 

 the capacity, alkalies depress it ; but the converse holds for the forms 

 with mucilage, resin, etc. 



In Oncological Studies on the Vegetation of the Ota Dunes 

 (xliii. 3), Yoshiji Yoshii gives a general account of this dune of the 

 Pacific Coast, between a River Tone and the Kashima Sea, and its 

 special flora. Characteristic vegetation ranges from Dune forest of 

 Finus Thunlergii to bushes of Jiiniperus rigidus and Eleagnus 

 fragrans. The tops of the sand-hill include special types, as Garex 

 macrocephala, C. pumila, Fhelloperus littoralis, Ischcennim anthe- 

 pJwroides and I. muficum. On the sandy beach Wedelia prostrafa 

 is conspicuous, with Calystegia Soldanella ; these types are discussed 

 in detail. Garex macrocephala is the first colonist of moving sand, 

 with rhizome-system spreading a foot beneath the surface at 6-10 ft. 

 a year, and is an essential factor in dune-building ; vertical rhizomes 

 thrusting upwards raise the level at 6-14 inches a year. Ischcemum 

 antlieplioroides forms tussocks in the sand, and Phellopterus littoralis 

 is also effective in binding the surface. 



Yoshinari Kuwada continues observations on the chromosome- 

 number of Zea Mays (xxxiv. 10). The haploid number, as seen in 

 meiosis of pollen-development varies from 10-12, and the diploid 

 number (in root-apices) from 20-24, in various cultivated races as 

 Sugar-corn, Black Starch, Amber liice Pop-corn, Black Mexican. 



