582 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. II. No. 44. 



By carefully considering the principles 

 herein enunciated, I will say that in 1894 

 12 out of 14 official forecasts of frost were 

 fully verified — a much greater percentage 

 of accuracy than has ever been attained by 

 simply considering air conditions alone. 

 Willis L. Moore, 

 Chief of U. S. Weather Bureau. 



SALIX WARDI, BEBB.* 



It is desirable to know much more of the 

 range and specific place of this very interest- 

 ing willow than is yet known. Having 

 visited it the past season in its native habitat 

 during flowering time. May 10th, at Bon- 

 neterre. Mo., and again when in mature leaf 

 at Pilot Knob and Irondale, Mo., August 

 19th-20th, also at Washington, D. C, 

 June 18th, I felt, though not without con- 

 siderable diffidence, that my observations 

 might prove of interest. 



If my observations, in some respects, clash 

 with those of our eminent and acute Mr. 

 Bebb,the fact should be ascribed to variation 

 of, or probably to more complete material. 



The S. Wardi extends northward to within 

 about 37 miles of St. Louis in greater or less 

 abundance, intermingled with S. nigra and 

 S. longifolia. One, and but one, I discovered 

 growing on the banks of a lake in the Mis- 

 sissippi bottoms, about 8 miles northeast of 

 St. Louis. Hybrids between the Wardi and 

 nigra occur, but are not common, as is the 

 case with nigra and amygdaloides.f 



Though without question specifically dis- 

 tinct from nigra, and seeing it in growth, 

 never to be mistaken for nigra, yet it pre- 

 sents several important characters remind- 

 ing one, again and again , of the latter. Such 

 are the general shape of the leaves, short 

 petiole, persistent stipules, the staminate 

 aments, number of stamens, scales, capsules, 

 but especially the almost absolute corre- 



* Garden and Forest, Vol. 8, p. 363. 

 fSee writer's 'Relations of Nigra, etc.,' Vol. 6, 

 No. 13, Acad. Sci., St. Louis, Mo. 



spondence of venation, also the extension 

 of the flowering laterals beyond the base of 

 the rachis, is but the same character often 

 observed in nigra emphasized. And yet 

 further, the bark, though distinct, has a re- 

 semblance to that of the young stems of 

 nigra. Still another reminder of the rela- 

 tionship is the near likeness of discoloration 

 of dried specimens, as well as the color and 

 taste of their infusions. 



The following will embrace my observa- 

 tions of its main features : Salix Wardi is 

 either a shrub or tree, usually the latter, 

 which rises to the height of 10-15 feet, or 

 exceptionally to 20 feet, 2 to 7 inches in 

 diameter, spreading top, scraggy branches, 

 tending to curve downwards ; twigs tena- 

 cious, even as to bases, tips winter-killed; 

 bark of stem and main branches are dark 

 grey or blackish (therefore by the natives 

 called 'black willow'), deeply latticed- 

 ridged, resembling that of a youngish black 

 walnut, intensified ; it is lichen-covered on 

 its northern aspect. The stem usually 

 stands single, not in clumps as is common 

 with S. nigra. The leaves vary from long 

 narrow, to shorter oblong or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, matching fairly well, in their range, 

 the forms of both nigra and amygdaloides, 

 whitish glaucous beneath, pubescent when 

 young, with short petioles ; the bases of the 

 leaves range from acute to auriculate, or 

 cordate ; stipules large, persistent, variable, 

 roundish, irregular reniform, rhomboidal, 

 oblong, the upper half often serrate, gland- 

 less, all obtuse; any tendency of pointing 

 appearing to indicate contamination from 

 nigra ; young shoots very leafy, rather 

 heavy, intensely whitish hoary pubescent 

 (mostly); aments long, on many leaved 

 laterals which are prolonged bej'ond the 

 origin of the rachis ; capsules smooth, ovate, 

 ovate-conical, globose-ovate, with firm walls 

 retaining shape in drying, line of suture 

 conspicuously marked, slow to open; style 

 and stigma exceptionally undeveloped, the 



