1897 ] CURRENT LITERATURE 385 
y the present state botanist in acknowledgment of his contributions and 
interest in the state flora, and such a piece of work as the present one is 
necessarily replete with the results of long familiarity with the local flora. 
The special feature of this report is the article on the subject of edible 
fungi. It has been known for a long time that the author was accumulating 
colored drawings and mycophagic notes pertaining to the food fungi of the 
State, and a special monograph on the subject has been expected. The 
difficulty of securing its independent publication has led to its incorporation 
in the annual report. Mr. Peck gives most valuable assistance and sugges- 
tions regarding the collection and use of this highly nutritious and palatable 
food, founded npon personal experience and ripe knowledge. Sixty-three 
edible species and four harmful ones are described and figured. The forty- 
four colored plates, with figures of the fungi natural size, add greatly to the 
value of the report. The lithographic work, although it cost the state over 
$3000, falls somewhat short of being entirely satisfactory. Only twice before, 
in 1869 and 1870, have the botanist’s annual reports been supplemented with 
colored plates, and they were then somewhat better executed than are the 
present ones. 
It has always been a source of regret that the state makes no provision 
for the sale of public documents of this character. Such a valuable publica- 
price for it. Now that the general government has set a commendable exam- 
ple of offering scientific and other documents for sale at nominal prices, it is 
hoped that the states will adopt a similar method, and thereby greatly increase 
the permanent usefulness of the scientific work which they foster.—J. C. A. 
The reproduction of plants. 
In 1891 and 1892 Professor M. Mobius published i in the _—— Cen- 
‘ralblatt two papers on the effect of continuous vegetati d the 
conditions on which blooming depends. Last year he poate tnd one on the 
development and significance of sexual reproduction in the plant kingdom. 
has brought these papers together and added such other discussion as 
seemed necessary “to place the phenomena of reproduction in the right light 
in relation to other vital phenomena, and, at the same time, to distinguish 
P: The result is a volume of five chapters and something over 200 
- pages.’ 
In the introduction the two kinds of ee are 5 are me ime 
are reproduction by b 
; 2 Hetead of nngiting Oe into ‘sexual and oun-eexisal methods, 
Sea. *Mostus, » M.— ur Lehre von der Fortpflanzung der Gewachse. 8vo. pp. 
a wiibere i figs. 36. ants Wehr: Jena. 1897. ‘4.50. 
