1898 | CURRENT LITERATURE 363 
is far from complete. An excellent introduction presents the characteristics 
of the region, in the way of general topography, geology, rivers and streams, 
lakes and ponds, bogs and swamps, mountains and ravines, altitudes, tem- 
perature and rainfall, and general characteristics of the flora. resent 
volume enumerates 1105 species, the nomenclature of the “ Check list” and 
the sequence of Gray’s “ Manual”’ being used. Common names of the region, 
notes useful to collectors, and a certain amount of synonomy are given. The 
region includes several counties in southern New York and northern Penn- 
sylvania, and the taking up of a natural area rather than an artificial one 
cannot be too strongly commended. The book is well printed, and is admi- 
rably adapted to its purpose.—J. M. C. 
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Mr. AvEN NELSON has just published an interesting report on the 
vegetation of the “Red Desert” region of Wyoming. The area referred 
to extends “from the Platte bluffs on the east to the Green river bluffs on 
the west, from the northern limit of Sweetwater county to the hills and 
mountains separating Colorado and Wyoming.” This large area is distinctly 
and strongly halophytic, and although its investigation had primarily in view 
the economic problem, the results are of interest to ecologists. During the 
summer the area is practically uninhabitable, but it has proved to afford 
excellent winter pasturage. The amount of this winter forage is very large, 
and is of six kinds: “the salt-sages” (various species of Atriplex), “the 
sage-brushes” (artemisias), ‘‘ wheat grasses” (species of Agropyron) 
“Indian millet” (Eriocoma cuspidata), ‘‘giant rye-grass” (Elymus conden- 
satus), and “ desert juniper” (/. Knightii). The much more abundant vege- 
tation of the hill country, or summer range, is also fully described.—J. M. C. 
THE FIRST PARTS of Ascherson and Grebner’s flora of the North Ger- 
man Lowlands™ have appeared. The work was begun as the flora of the 
Brandenburg province alone, but the urgent need of a new presentation of 
the entire flora of the North German plains becoming apparent the authors 
have undertaken the longer work, which is to be published in periodica 
fashion. Beginning with the pteridophytes, the three parts already received 
include the pteridophytes, gymnosperms, monocotyls, and almost all of the 
Archichlamydez. A field handbook for popular use is evidently the aim, 
and to secure it there has been generous cooperation by the taxonomists of 
the region. The work is sparsely illustrated, and the fact that very few cita- 
tions are made, and that the names of authors of species are omitted, is 
*° The Red Desert of Wyoming and its forage resources. U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Division of Agrostology, Bulletin 13, Grass and forage plant investi- 
gations, 1808. . 
- *T ASCHERSON, P. and GRABNER, P.: Flora des Nordostdeutschen Flachlandes 
(ausser Ostpreussen). Liefg. 1, 2, 3. Small 8vo., pp. 480. Berlin: Gebriider Born- 
traeger. 
