439 



slender stems, its uarrow linear cauliue leaves, and the loug,loose panicle 

 of tubular scarlet flowers, which are about 1^ inches long. Its range 

 is from Colorado to New Mexico and Arizona. 



Fentstemon acuminatus, Bougl, grows from 1 to 1^ feet high, is very 

 smooth, with thick, glossy, bluish-green leaves, and a long panicle of blue 

 or purple flowers, which are nearly an inch long. It is quite variable 

 in form and size, and is found from Washington Territory to Arizona. 



Pentstemon centranthifoUus, Benth.^ is a species with tubular crimson 

 flowers, resembling P. barbatus in general appearance. 



Fentstemon Eatoni, Gr., and F. Fabneri, Gr., are new species discovered 

 within a few years. They have been introduced into England and were 

 last year figured in the Gardener's Chronicle, (London.) The first-named 

 is near P. centranfhifolius, and the last near P. Cohcea. There are 

 many others less known and mostly of smaller size, but of considerable 

 beauty, which, it is probable, will eventually find their way into cultiva- 

 tion. 



The Engineer Department of the United States Army has jnst issued 

 a catalogue of plants collected in the years 1871, 1872, and 1873, under 

 the explorations and surveys of Lieut. George M. Wheeler. The cata- 

 logue is in two parts ; the first is a report by Mr. Sereno Watson upon 

 the collections made in 1871 and 1872, in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah ; 

 the second part is the report of Dr. Eothrock upon the plants collected 

 in Central Colorado, in 1873, by Mr. John Wolf and himself. The first 

 report embraces about 500 species, of which about 14, are new. The 

 second report embraces about 1,150 species of Phienogams, of which 

 7 or 8 are considered to be new species, and about 125 species and 

 varieties of Cryptogams. This catalogue will prove of much interest to 

 botanists, and in connection with the report of Mr. Wats'on on the ex- 

 ploration of the fortieth parallel, and the synopsis of the flora of Colorado 

 by Profs. Porter and Coulter, will render our knowledge of the region 

 explored ver^^ full and satisfactory. 



MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS. 



By Thomas Taylor, Microscopist. 



Cranberry rot and scald. — During the present year the Depart- 

 ment has received numerous letters from cranberry growers, calling 

 attention to a disease of the cranberry known as rot or scald, which has 

 appeared, especially, in the cranberry plantations of New Jersey, 

 during the last three years. The following letter, placed in the hands 

 of the Commissioner of Agriculture by Hon, S. A. Dobbins, M. C, shows 

 the importance and necessity of a thorough investigation of the disease, 

 with a view to the discovery of its cause and the means of preventing 

 its recurrence : 



Tkentox, Marcli 12, 1874. 



Dear Sir: You are aware that the crauberry-culture has become a very large busi- 

 ness in most of the sea-board counties of this State. The failure of the crops for the 

 last two or three years has been a serious loss to those counties, and threatens to affect 

 injuriously their productive interests, perhaps for mauy years to come. Various 

 opinions have been entertained with regard to the blight of this important crop. Some 



