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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVIII. No. 463. 



logTies of elaters, containing clilorophyll bod- 

 ies wliicli remain green almost to the time of 

 ripening of the spore. In the October num- 

 ber Professors G. F. Atkinson, of Cornell 

 University, and W. C. Coker, of the University 

 of North Carolina, describe a minute new spe- 

 cies of Geaster, G. leptospermus, belonging 

 to the fornicate section of the genus, which 

 was found growing upon mosses on tree 

 trunks by Professor Coker. — Professor B. M. 

 Davis, of the University of Chicago, notes 

 the occurrence of spores of a Tilletia ( ?) in 

 the capsule of Bicciocarpus natans, and Dr. 

 Florence M. Lyon figures a section of the 

 sporophyll and axis of Selaginella rupestris, 

 showing two megasporangia, a phenomenon 

 not hitherto reported. — There are the usual 

 reviews of current literature and items of 



news. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



THE TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB. 



At a meeting of the club held at the Col- 

 lege of Pharmacy on October 15, 1903, Dr. 

 Eusby occupied the chair. 



The scientific program consisted of brief 

 informal reports on the summer's work by the 

 different members. 



Dr. Britton reported having made a second 

 trip to Cuba, leaving New York the latter 

 part of August. He was accompanied by 

 Mrs. Britton and Mr. Percy Wilson. In part 

 the sahie ground was covered as in his first 

 expedition, but the journey was continued into 

 the province of Santa Clara. At Sagua a 

 small area was encountered covered by an 

 isolated flora somewhat similar to that found 

 at Madruga on the first trip. Both areas were 

 characterized by an abundance of a peculiar 

 palm that was not seen elsewhere. The 

 species is as yet undetermined, but living speci- 

 mens have been successfully brought to the 

 garden. Both of these peculiar plant asso- 

 ciations are on soil areas quite different from 

 the prevailing coral-limestone formation. 



Mr. Earle reported having made a trip to 

 Porto Rico in the interest of the Department 

 of Agriculture during the last of May and the 

 first of June. The trip was mostly for the 

 purpose of noting the diseases of economic 



plants, and a report has been submitted to the 

 department. One of the most interesting 

 things observed was the occurrence of several 

 fungous diseases of scale insects. Two of 

 these diseases were abundant enough to con- 

 stitute efficient checks on the scales attacked. 



Professor Lloyd reported having spent some 

 weeks on the island of Dominica, accompanied 

 by Mrs. Lloyd. He observed many orchards 

 of limes in poor condition owing to the at- 

 tacks of scale insects and wood-destroying 

 fungi. He illustrated his exploration of the 

 island by means of a blackboard map showing 

 the position of three volcanic craters and of 

 the highest peak visited, 4,700 feet. A large 

 collection of herbarium material was secured. 



Professor Uuderwood spoke on the ferns of 

 Jamaica. He left New York early in 

 January, spending five months in Jamaica 

 and eastern Cuba. Jamaica is especially rich 

 in ferns, about five hundred species being 

 known from the island. Of these he collected 

 over four hundred, mostly in the Blue Moun- 

 tain region from an area about equal to that 

 of Westchester County. A hundred species 

 may be taken along the bridle path from 

 Cinchona to Morce's Gap, a distance of three 

 miles. Tree ferns become abundant at an 

 elevation of about 3,000 feet. Thirty species 

 are more or less common. The trunks are 

 often covered by rich growths of filmy ferns, 

 of which about sixty species occur. The John 

 Crow Mountains in eastern Jamaica have 

 never been visited by botanists and the ' Cock 

 Pit Country ' in the western end of the island 

 had not been previously visited. He spent 

 a week, accompanied by Mr. Harris, of Hope 

 Gardens, Jamaica, in exploring one corner of 

 this region and found many things of interest. 



Mr. Nash reported on his recent trip to 

 Haiti. The country belongs tp the negroes 

 and a white man has to take second place. The 

 island is 40Y miles long by 195 miles wide, with 

 extremely diversified topography. There are 

 two main ranges of mountains. Large salt 

 lakes occur in the southern portion. In the 

 north-central area there are large pine forests. 

 The strand flora is miich like that of the other 

 islands, but as you get into the interior the 

 character entirely changes and there ara 



