176 
on sticks, shavings, dried herbaceous plants and on various kinds 
of refuse and decaying matter. A number of new species are 
described, and the exact limits and relationships of the members 
of the family are discussed. The treatment of the subject is made 
still more effective by five full-page plates. No. 25, Notes on 
American Hepaticae, by Dr. M. A. Howe, contains notes on 
several American forms and a description of a new variety. No. 
26, Chemical studies of the cocoanut with some notes on the 
changes during germination, by Professor J. E. Kirkwood and 
Dr. W. J. Gies, contains an exhaustive résumé of the various 
cocoa-edestin, was isolated a the crystals figured. The sna: 
germination are given in detail. Some of the features of general 
interest in this paper are given in this number of the JouRNAL 
(see pag’ 
es No. 1-25 are to be included in Volume I., anda 
title page with table of contents has been printed to be jestied to 
subscribers for the volume. 
Professor E. L. Greene, of Washington, D. C., visited the 
Garden for several days during August for the purpose of mak- 
ing critical examinations of material in the collections, 
: eck, State botanist of New York, made collections 
of fungi in the vicinity of the city, and spent two weeks in con- 
sultation of the herbarium during August. 
e total amount of precipitation in the Garden during August, 
1902, i. to 5.75in. Maximum temperatures of 88.5° on 
the 4th, 83.5° on the 11th, 82° on the toth, and 86° on the 
ae were observed. Also minima of 63° on the 3d, 50.5° on 
the gth, 48° on the 13th, 52.5° on the 22d, and 57° on the 
26th. The temperature of the soil at a depth of 1 foot (30 cm.) 
ranged from 45° to 55° F. 
The most notable occurrence of the month in this connection 
was a rainfall of 2.06 inches within 70 minutes on the evening 
of the 19th 
