1889.] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. l6l 



The examination of seventeen evergreen and deciduous trees [by 

 L. A. Gulbe] gave the following general result: In spring the activity 

 of the cambium begins in the twigs, passes thence into the stem, then into 

 the thick and lastly into the smaller branches of the root, four to five 

 weeks after its beginning in the twigs. Towards autumn its activity 

 disappears in the same order, but the period of cessation covers two 

 months. In the second half of October it has completely ceased in the 

 roots.— Bot. Centralblatt, xxxviii, 487. 



A botanical congress is to be held in Paris during next August, to 

 which the Botanical Society of France invites foreign botanists. Those 

 who expect to attend should send their names to M. P. Maury, Secretary 

 of the Organizing Committee, 84 Rue de Grenelle, Paris, and obtain fur- 

 ther information. Two subjects are especially proposed for considera- 

 tion : Methods of studying geographical distribution of plants through 

 cooperative action of scientific bodies, and Value of anatomical characters 

 in classification. It is to be hoped that a number of American botanists 

 may be present. 



The new French journal, Revue General de Botaniqiie, begins after a 

 most vigorous and promising fashion. The articles which have appeared 

 in the first four numbers are all of importance and by authors of the 

 highest rank. Among the names are those of Rosenvinge, Guignard, 

 Bonnier (the editor), Constantin, Leclerc du Sablon and Jumelle. The 

 reviews of recent works in various departments are an extremely good 

 feature, and very much more readable than the abstracts to which >me 

 journals devote themselves. The Revue is published by Paul Klincksieck, 

 Rue des Ecoles, 52, Paris. 



Mrs. E. G. Britton begins in the April number of the Bulletin of 

 the Torrey Botanical Club a series of papers with the title, Contributions 

 to American Bryology. The first paper is an enumeration of the mosses 

 collected in Kootenai county, Idaho, by Mr. Leiberg. One new species, 

 Hypnum (Thamnium) Leibergii, is described, and also the fruit of I trim- 

 mia torquata. In February last, I also had the pleasure of discovering 

 the fruit on specimens of this species sent me by Mr. Leiberg. In the 

 material which came under my observation, the capsules were not infre- 

 quently slightly longer than stated by Mrs. Britton (0. 8—1. 2 x 0. 6mm. 

 were my measurements) and a well-developed, persistent annul us, of 

 three (rarely four) rows of cells was found. Mrs. Britton says,"Annulus 

 none."— C. R. B. 



At the meeting of the Botanical Society of Munich, held on March 

 11, R. Hegler proposed the use of thallin sulphate as a new reagent for 

 bgnified tissues. All the previously used reagents, phloroglucin, and the 

 salts of anilin, naphtalidin and toluidin are open to the objection that the 

 reactions are transient and involve the use of an acid which is trouble- 

 some and requires considerable care. Thallin sulphate, however, obviates 

 the use of an acid and the color it imparts tolignitied walls,adeep orange 

 yellow, is permanent. Its action is wholly upon vanillin. It should be 

 used in a concentrated solution in dilute alcohol or in water. The solu- 

 tion should be protected from the light and is better prepared in small 

 quantities as needed. Exposure to light causes the solution to become 

 rose red, when it will impart this color to the cellulose and subenzed 

 walls, though the lignin reaction is not interfered with. The longer the 

 action on sections the intenser the color. 



