NEWS 307 
introduced species; and that Kew has never been responsible for the intro- 
duction into Europe of a single destructive parasite. The list enumerates 
1340 species, representing 337 genera. 
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R. J.N. Rose returned from his Mexican trip early in October. His 
work was mostly confined to the little-known parts of the Sierra Madre. He 
visited Guaymas, La Paz (L. C.), Mazatlan, and Acaporeta on the western 
side, crossed the two ranges of the Sierra Madre north of the Acaporeta, and 
made two excursions into them, one from the west at Rosario, and the other 
from the east at Bolanos, the latter being one of Seeman’s stations. The 
States chiefly explored were Durango, Jalisco, Zacatecas. and the territory of 
Tepic. The collection contains 2000 numbers, and is especially rich in 
Lae umbellifers, agaves, and orchids, many living specimens of the two latter 
groups having been shipped for cultivation. 
THE SEABOARD AIR LINE railroad, which extends from Portsmouth, Va., 
to Atlanta, Ga., has inaugurated a novel system of instruction of the com- 
munities along its territory. It began by encouraging tree planting and 
village improvement. During the present season it has been holding one- 
rmer’s institutes, all illustrative material and appliances, and the 
force of instructors being transported from place to place in a train of 
Cars especially fitted up for the work. Another feature is the establishment 
a of experimental farms every ten miles along the whole line; twenty-eight 
Paha a are now organized.. Among the crops being tested are hops, ginseng, Kafir 
A a corn, and pyrethrum ; fruits and grasses will be taken up in due course of 
time. Both the community and the railroad, and even the country at large, 
should profit by such well devised philanthropy. 
THE LATE Dr. Edmund Russow, of the University of Dorpat (now offi- 
cially known in Russia as Jurjew), left two important collections, which the 
widow desires to sell. One is a collection of about 3750 finely prepared 
and well preserved microscopical preparations. It is especially valuable 
because it includes the original mounts used for the late owner's classical 
investigations. Thus there are about 400 mounts connected with his investi- 
gations on the vascular c ryptogams, including 125 of the anatomy and devel- 
opment of Marsilia, 22 of Pilularia, 32 of Equisetum, 37 of Lycopodium, 34 of 
; Selaginella, etc. There are also the preparations for his notable investiga- 
tions on wood, including 214 of Pinus, showing all ages and methods of treat- 
ment. It includes besides a set of 122 drugs. In general the preparations 
_ Cover all families of phanerogams, among which might be named the a ca- 
dex, Juncacee, Cyperaceez, Graminee, Ranunculacee, and Cucurbitac 
hich formed the original material for the author's publications. In ra 
tof science it is desirable that this collection be acquired me some 
institution where. it may be accessible. ; 
