47 



Science reports a paper presented before the Botanical Society 

 of Washington describing the differences between the wild rices 

 of America and China. The Asiatic plant is given as a variety 

 of the American by Engler and Prantl, but certain "significant 

 characters indicate that the Asiatic plant is a distinct species from 

 the American. The American plant is an annual, being repro- 

 duced by seed which falls off into the water as soon as ripe. 

 The Asiatic plant is perennial, capable of reproduction by 

 rhizomes. There are also some differences in the floral charac- 

 ters, these being most apparent in the form of the floral pedicel 

 and in the length of the awns of the glumes." 



Experiments conducted recently by Mr. A. E. Vinson at the 

 Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station with regard to the 

 influence of chemicals in stimulating the ripening of fruits have 

 demonstrated that date fruits may be ripened into perfect com- 

 mercial products in less than three days. The fruit sprays were 

 subjected to acetic acid vapor from twelve to fifteen hours, which 

 caused them to ripen without further treatment ; the process can 

 be hastened, it was proved, by exposing the dates to sunshine, or 

 by heating (45° centigrade). It is hoped that this — or a similar 

 process — will make possible the shipping of green dates, as the 

 unripe fruit is firmer and less easily bruised than fresh ripe fruit. 

 The chemical changes connected with rapid ripening of the fruit 

 are given clearly in Science for October 29. 



Science (May 28, 1909) states that "the amount of wood 

 annually consumed in the United States at the present time is 

 twenty-three billion cubic feet, while the growth of the forest is 

 only seven billion feet. In other words, Americans all over the 

 country are u.sing more than three times as much wood as the 

 forests are producing." Having recently visited Yellowstone 

 Park, with its unnumbered cords of fallen trees, we wonder why 

 some disposition cannot be made of the cords and cords of wood 

 available there. These fallen trees — which form extensive, 

 impenetrable barriers (often several feet high) are throughout the 

 Park a constant eyesore to any one with a modicum of botanical 



