410 NATURAL SCIENCE. Jone, 
A RECENT number of the Farmers’ Bulletin (no. 10), issued by the 
United States Department of Agriculture, describes the Russian 
Thistle, Salsola kali, the Prickly Glasswort of our sandy sea-shores, 
as one of the worst weeds ever introduced into American wheat fields. 
One year’s damage in Dakota alone is estimated at 2,000,000 dollars. 
The bulletin reports that it takes complete possession of the soil, 
while its spiny nature makes it objectionable to horses and other 
animals. 
In Le Natuvaliste of March 15 Henri Coupin argues that zygo- 
morphy of the flower, that is, symmetry in relation to a single plane, 
is primarily for the purpose of protecting the pollen from rain, while 
adaptation for pollination by insects is only a secondary con- 
sideration. 
Tue “ Dictionnaire Pratique d’Horticulture” is an improved 
translation of Nicholson’s well-known Dictionary of Horticulture. 
It is edited by M. S. Mottet and is, says the Gardeners’ Chronicle of 
May 6, ‘‘ indispensable to all who read French, as it is more complete 
than the original edition, and contains several additional features.” 
It is issued in parts by Octave Doin of Paris. 
Tue Fournal of Botany has been showing a tendency towards 
Cryptogamic Botany during recent years. In the April number, 
there is a paper on Fresh-water Algz, one on Marine Algz, one on a 
Moss, one on Hepatice, and a long obituary notice of a Crypto- 
gamic Botanist. The editor probably means no more by this than 
that Cryptogamists (even though one fewer) are getting too. many 
for him. ; 
Mr. HERBERT SPENCER has issued a reprint of his articles on 
“« The Inadequacy of Natural Selection,” followed by that on “ Pro- 
fessor Weismann’s Theories,” appearing in the Contemporary Review 
for February, March, and May, 1893. The pamphlet is published by 
Messrs. Williams and Norgate. 
Proressor Locan Lostey has in the press “‘ The Parishes of 
Surrey: their Surface Features, Geological Structure, and Natura] 
Resources.” The book will deal with the 148 parishes in the county, 
which will be taken in alphabetical order. It is proposed to treat 
the subject in as practical a way as possible, and to render the volume 
a thoroughly useful compilation. 
