1889.] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 263 



before the flower had opened. He had experimented with 

 barberry by covering the flowers before opening, and had 

 obtained fruit in only about three cases in a hundred, and 

 possibly then only through defective protection. The pollen 

 was there, but needed insects to elevate it to the stigmas. Dr. 

 T. J. Burrill suggested similar tests with Hypericum. Dr. 

 W. J. Beal thought it important to note the effect upon the 

 stock of early and late fertilization. 



Mr. Meehan also read a paper on the cleistogamy of Ce- 

 rastium nutans. All specimens in the Philadelphia herbar- 

 ium, wherever from, appeared to be cleistogamous, as wel! 

 as the plants growing about the city. Similar observations 

 had been made by Judge Day at Buffalo, and Mr. C. F. 

 Wheeler in Michigan. Dr. N. L. Britton spoke of the fre- 

 quency of apetaly in the Caryophyllaceae, but thought cleis- 

 togamy almost unknown. Mr. Coville had noticed that 

 Draba verna was cleistogamous during winter in the south. 



Dr. B. D. Halsted read a paper on the pollen of Ponte- 

 deria cordata, which is printed in full on another page. 



Dr. Halsted also described the explosiveness of the pods 

 of the wild bean, Phaseolus diversifolius, explaining the 

 mechanism by which it is brought about. Dr. Britton said 

 that many other species of the genus, and especially the 

 tropical ones, expel the seeds in the same manner. He also 

 called attention to the fact that this plant is really P. helvn- 

 lus of Linnteus, the two names being interchanged in the 

 manuals. Mr. M. B. Waite described the projection of seeds 



from the pods of native violets. 



Dr. Britton showed herbarium specimens of quite a num- 

 ber of additions to the North American flora, and made 

 interesting remarks in relation to them. 



A collection of fifty-four well prepared cultures of bac- 

 teria and moulds on agar-agar, made by Dr. Roswell Park, 

 of Buffalo, was exhibited to the club. 



Friday, August 30.— Mr. Coville read a report from the 

 Botanical Division of the U. S. Department ot Agriculture, 

 which was referred to a committee, consisting of Messrs. 

 Burrill, Day and Macoun. Remarks complimentary to the 

 department" were made by Drs. Burrill, Britton and others. 

 Mr. Macoun spoke of the botanical work being done by the 

 Canadian survey, of the fraternal feeling ot Canadian botan- 

 ists for those of the United States, and of their willingness 

 to supply material to any American scientists who may be 

 working up special orders or groups. 



