Botanical Notes, 1917. 119 



or more or less modified branches, and here is added evidence 

 that potato tubers are but modified stems — in reality buds — 

 for the storage of food for the plant and as a means of repro- 

 ducing the plant vegetatively. It has long been known that 

 "potatoes" are as explained above, but this is not always evi- 

 dent to those not familiar with botany. 



RHIZOCTONIA ON POTATOES IN LYON COUNTY, KANSAS, 1916. 



As noted previously, potatoes in the author's garden during 

 the growing season of 1916 were subjected to very damp con- 

 ditions for much of their development. From appearances we 

 judged that one response was a very noticeable increase in the 

 seeming lenticels often found on potato tubers. These were 

 large and numerous and appeared an attempt on the part of the 

 plant to obtain a sufficient quantity of air for its underground 

 parts. The tubers themselves did not seem to be seriously 

 damaged by this condition and there was a fair crop. The po- 

 tatoes were of the usual quality as food, and they kept until 

 well into December, when all had been used. To us the 

 evidence of the disease was most apparent in the numer- 

 ous little potato tubers produced in the leaf axils. This 

 condition is known as "little potatoes," and is a peculiar 

 response to an abnormal condition. The peculiarity did not 

 confine itself to the parts above ground, however, but little po- 

 tatoes occasionally were produced as direct outgrowths from 

 the part of a tuber planted in the spring. A rather unusual 

 circumstance in this case is the fact that the cuttings quite 

 often passed through the entire season of growth with but 

 little if any apparent change. This, moreover, was the case 

 when the part had given rise to the usual plant. 



So far as we can remember, this is the first time we have 

 noted Rhizoctonia (Corticmm vagum var solani Burt.) in our 

 garden. We shall be interested to note whether it again ap- 

 pears. 



NOTES ON THE UNUSUAL FLOWERING OF CERTAIN 

 PLANTS, 1916. 



Continuing the practice begun in 1915, we report the fol- 

 lowing instances of the untimely blossoming of plants. All 

 of these were in or near Emporia, Kan. 



SyHnga vulgaris Linn. In full bloom September 26, 1916. McNeely 

 home. 



