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toplasm of the cells affected, as De Barry describes for one of the 

 Sclerotinia diseases. The third method is by absorbing the food, 

 water, or the protoplasm itself, from the cells of the host. This 

 seems, at the present time, to be the most common mode of 

 attack, especially in those diseases, like leafspots, which remain 

 localized in some org-an." 



Dr. L. B. Walton, of Kenyon College, has made a study of 

 zygospores of Spirogyra quadrata (Hass.) Petit to obtain data 

 bearing — in part — upon the causes tending to produce varia- 

 bility. Over 400 zygospores were studied, including those 

 formed by scalariform and by lateral conjugation. " In the first 

 instance (scalariform conjugation) we deal with the results of con- 

 jugation between remotely related cells belonging to different fil- 

 aments. In the second instance (lateral conjugation) we deal 

 with the results of conjugation between sister or adjacent cells of 

 the same filament, a condition closely related to the phenomena 

 of parthenogenesis in other organisms. If the conjugation of 

 germ cells from remotely related individuals tends to variability 

 as Weismann and others would have us believe, conversely the 

 union of closely related cells should afford a decreased variability, 

 the minimum appearing in parthenogenetic forms. 



" The results show a condition directly contrary to this, the 

 zygospores of lateral conjugation being approximately 21 per 

 cent, more variable in length and 21 per cent, more variable in 

 diameter than those produced by scalariform conjugation. Con- 

 sequently direct evidence is afforded in support of the theory of 

 Hatschek (1887) that sex exists for the purpose of limiting and 

 not for the purpose of increasing variability." 



Science (or May 22, 1908, describes the concerted action of 

 the " owners of timber in different parts of the country in organ- 

 izing associations to protect their holdings from fire. In the 

 Pacific northwest, the Washington Forest Fire Association has 

 just elected oflficers at Seattle and begun work for the year with 

 3,000,000 acres under its care. The plans include a system of 

 patrol by rangers resembling the work done by the United 



