4G 



Dr. MacDougal recalled the suggestion that potatoes are the 

 result of fungal infection of the underground stem ; it is said that 

 no one has ever examined a potato tuber without finding traces of a 

 fungus in it. In many cases of precocious blooming among both 

 wild and cultivated plants, the cause is stimulus from similar in- 

 fection. 



Dr. MacDougal also exhibited specimens of Raoulia and 

 Haastia, known as " vegetable sheep," two remarkable alpine 

 xerophytes from an altitude of 4,000 feet on the mountains of 

 New Zealand. They are composites related to Gnaphalium. 



Dr. Rydberg spoke of a Rocky Mountain phlox with similar 

 growth in cushion-like masses. 



Mrs. Britton reported on the progress of her studies of a Vit- 

 taria collection made by Dr. Britton at St. Kitts, and exhibited 

 drawings. There is a present indication that two different spe- 

 cific names have been in use for different stages of the same life 

 history. Edward S. Burgess, 



Secretary. 

 Tuesday, February ii, 1902 



The meeting was held at the College of Pharmacy ; the Presi- 

 dent, Judge Addison Brown, in the chair ; 37 persons present. 



The President presented for distribution to members of the 

 Club copies of Dr. Gattinger's Flora of Tennessee. 



Dr. A. J. Grout delivered an address, illustrated by numerous 

 lantern slides, on the botanical features of Mt. Mansfield, Ver- 

 mont. A general discussion of the distribution of mountain 

 plants followed the address, which was participated in by Dr. 

 Underwood, Dr. Rydberg, Dr. Grout, Mr. Chamberlin, Dr. Mur- 

 rill and the Secretary pro tern. 



The following is an abstract of Dr. Grout's paper : 



The alpine and subalpine flora of Mt. Mansfield and Smug- 

 glers' Notch is of great interest. While Mt. Mansfield (4329 ft.) 

 is not so high as Mt. Washington, and the Notch has not the 

 profile or the flume that have rendered the Franconia Notch his- 

 toric, yet each has scenic and floral attractions all its own, and 

 but little inferior to those more widely known in the White 

 Mountain region. 



