50 Proceedings of the OJiio State Academy of Science. 



peat in a bog forest in the island of Nusa Kambangan in the 

 province of Banjumas, Java. 



The statement is frequently and positively made that 

 Sphagnum will not grow in the presence of lime (calcium car- 

 bonate j and that the presence of Sphagnum is an indication of a 

 low per cent or the absence of lime. Sendtner states positively 

 that when Sphagnum is brot in contact with water containing 

 lime it dies. Garbner^" finds the contrary. He watered Sphag- 

 num cultures with lime-water and when the experiment was 

 continued under normal conditions, the plants did not die ; but 

 on the contrary grew well. They even after a winter's duration 

 grew well in the following spring. Weber grew various species 

 of Sphagnum in pure lime. These experiments demonstrate that 

 altho Sphagnum normally grows in lime- free soil or with but 

 a low per cent of lime, the presence of lime is not fatal. In 

 the upper peninsula of Michigan about 6 miles west of St. 

 Ignace is a Sphagnum bog in which Chara, an alga which fre- 

 quents water containing lime, and Sphagnum grow side by side. 

 Calluna vulgaris, an Ericad characteristic of High moor forma- 

 tions in Europe, grows in lime-free soil but also occurs in lime 

 soil in great enough abundance not to be accidental.^'' 



That a bog is an ecological vegetation unit under conditions 

 of physiological drouth to which is due the xerophilous character 

 of the flora, is now generally accepted ; but not until recently has 

 it been discovered and demonstrated that the unavailability of 

 the water is due to the decomposition products of microorgan- 

 isms in the soil.^'^ These products are toxic to the plants, check 

 root absorption and are instrumental in the development of 

 structures characteristic of xerophilous plants. 



Sphagnum is the dominant plant in the bog-meadow ; and 

 in this locality the recognized peat builder of the present upper 

 stratum. Its habit of growth and structure adapt it well to the 

 continued development of the shoots above the accumulation of 

 dead Sphagnum. According to Reichart a Sphagnum frond con- 

 tinuing to grow at the apex while it is dying beneath may attain 



