StePTEMBEB 11, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



387 



formed and the embryo-sac develops from the lower 

 one. It is surrounded by a single nueellar layer 

 and one thick integument. The endosperm nucleus 

 forms a cellular endosperm from the first division. 

 The young endosperm sends out a knob-like haus- 

 torium of one or two cells at each end. The sus- 

 pensor of the embryo grows up into the micropylar 

 kaustorium, to some extent, forming a small en- 

 larged knob there. As the seed grows the haus- 

 toria are encroached upon and destroyed. 



Studies in the Toxicity of Cottonseed Meal: W. A. 



Withers, E. S. Ctjetis and G-. A. Egberts. 



About one hundred and seventy-five hogs were 

 fed upon cottonseed meal or some fraction of it. 

 The swine died in every case after eating the meal 

 for periods ranging on average from 59 to 96 days. 

 Twenty-two rabbits fed on cottonseed meal died on 

 average of 13 days. 



With different solvents used, the extract was 

 usually non-toxic and the residue usually toxic. 



Green feed, liberal exercise and ashes seemed to 

 be of some aid to pigs in overcoming the toxic ef- 

 fect of cottonseed meal. Treatment of the meal 

 ■with an alcoholic alkali rendered the meal non- 

 toxic to rabbits. 



Citrate of iron and ammonia was effective with 

 rabbits and ferrous sulphate was effective with 

 swine as an antidote to the toxicity of cottonseed 

 meal. 



The Locust Tree Carpenter Moth, a formidable 



Parasite of the OaTc: J. J. Wolfe. 



In February, 1911, a white oak about fourteen 

 inches in diameter, on the campus of Trinity Col- 

 lege was seen to be severely injured as a result of 

 the boring habits of what proved to be the larvae of 

 Pryonoxystus roiinics, commonly known as the 

 locust tree carpenter moth. The tree was cut and 

 sections of the trunk split into two pieces. Nu- 

 merous winding tunnels were found throughout the 

 heart and sap wood of the trunk and larger limbs. 

 From these were collected fourteen larvse of three 

 distinct sizes — a. fact supporting the view that the 

 insect requires three years for its development. A 

 portion of the trunk near the ground was riddled 

 with holes — ^points of exit — in which wood-destroy- 

 ing fungi had established themselves and threat- 

 ened the destruction of the tree. 



The insect attacks several trees of the street, 

 park and forest. Its habits render it a formidable 

 pest. Means for its control on any large scale are 

 at present wanting, but sporadic occurrences in trees 

 of streets and parks might possibly be held in 

 check by injecting into these tunnels a volatile 



poison and then plugging them with some waxy 



substance. 



The Pecan Twig Girdler: C. L. Metcalp. 



A detailed account of the egg-laying habits of 

 Oncideres oingulata Say; the preliminary and 

 supplementary maneuvers habitually performed 

 (which result in the severing of numerous twigs 

 from the tree in which the eggs are laid) ; with a 

 brief account of the life-history, economic impor- 

 tance and methods of control of the pest in com- 

 mercial pecan orchards. 



Some Bare Plants and Singular Distributions in 



North Carolina: W. C. Cokee. 



Announcement was made of the addition of a 

 new tree to the flora of North Carolina. The pin 

 oak {Quercus palustris DuEoi) was found near 

 Chapel Hill by Mr. J. 8. Holmes, state forester, in 

 the fall of 1913. 



Shododendroti catawbiense Michx., supposed to 

 be confined in this state to the tops of the highest 

 mountains, was reported as growing at Chapel HUl, 

 Hillsboro, and other places in Orange county, and 

 stranger still at Cary (near Ealeigh), and even at 

 Selma which is well into the coastal plain. 



Venus' fly trap {Dioncea musoipula Ellis). Evi- 

 dence as to distribution of this remarkable plant 

 was reviewed and it was concluded that this spe- 

 cies is distributed from Buckville, S. C, to New 

 Bern, N. C, and westward along the Cape Fear 

 Eiver to Fayetteville. 



The tuberous variety of tall meadow oat grass 

 (Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) Beauv., var. bul- 

 bosum) was exhibited from Chapel Hill. This is a 

 recent introduction from Europe where it is known 

 as a troublesome weed. Within the last three 

 years the U. S. Department of Agriculture has re- 

 ceived it occasionally from Virginia to Georgia. 



Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus L.) was shown 

 to be a troublesome weed in Chapel Hill grain 

 fields. 



Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. This is found to 

 be one of the rarest shrubs in North Carolina, and 

 known with certainty only from Chapel Hill. 



The Lawn Problem in the South: W. C. Cokee and 



E. O. Eandolph. 



This paper attempts to find some way of solving 

 the hard problem of lawn-making in the South. 

 Observations were made on many lawns, with vari- 

 ous conditions of soil, exposure and care, to deter- 

 mine the grasses and weeds actually present. 

 About six of the most promising grasses were care- 

 fully studied to determine their value and use as 

 lawn cover. 



