100 BOTANICAL GAZETTE 
yet supporting a large quantity of moss. In order to den 
experimentally that the moss can live solely on what it ¢ 
air and rain, some festoons were supported by twine and I 
some branches of a tree upon which moss was already gro 
was expected, the festoons produced normal flowers, gave 
growth, and at the end of eighteen months looked as vigo 
on the tree, though they came at no time in contact with i . 
Because Tillandsia has no influence as a parasite, i 
follow that it exerts none in other ways, yet to just what extent 
a host tree is at present difficult to say. Aside from the slight 
done in breaking twigs and.small branches by its weight, it 
ful whether such objections as shading and cutting off the 
air are really worthy of consideration. It is almost certain 
objections are not sufficient to explain a reduction in f 
people so often ascribe to the presence of the moss. It i 
however, that this problem can only be answered satisfa 
experiments extending over a considerable number of yee 
The problem of the distribution of 7’. usneoides upon t 
Species of trees is one of the first to force itself upon the ob 
That certain trees of a given locality are abundantly supp 
others not far distant are not, is a well-known fact. On 
the case has already been mentioned, and that is the light 
But there are others to be considered, and the most important 
's concerned with the method of dissemination. The epipt 
sie or by birds, which according to SCHIMPER (1) in 
utilize the plant in building their nests. There is a 
therefore, for a tree a little distant from others bearing the 
to receive its first detachment of the epiphyte. 
The character of the foliage also plays a part, in that 
sel According to PEIRCE (2) Ramalina ret h 
aving a habit and mode of dissemination similar to 
7 
