175 



"Attraction from considerable distances is certainly effected 



for the most part by the odour of the flowers, which fills the air 



as with invisible clouds, and indicates the direction for flight ; 



when the insects approach nearer (1-2 m.), the colours of flowers 



undertake the task of attracting them further, and when they 



finally settle, the lines and points long since described by Sprengel 



under the name of ' Saftmal ' {i. e., sap-mark) serve to point out 



the way to the nectar." 



C. Stuart Gager. 



FIELD MEETINGS OF THE CLUB 



The fifth forestry lesson was given in Van Cortlandt Park on 

 June 2. Twelve persons were present, with Dr. Marshall A. 

 Howe as instructor and guide. The general subject of the lesson 

 was " Reproduction of the Forest." Attention was directed to 

 the extensive and often wasteful cutting of the American forests 

 and the great economic importance of the replacement of the 

 forests was emphasized. Natural and artificial methods of forest 

 reproduction were discussed, as was also the rapidity of growth 

 of such trees as the white pine, the hardy catalpa, and the black 

 locust, which, even when grown from the seed, may yield one or 

 more crops of marketable timber within an ordinary lifetime. 

 The temperature of the air, the amount of moisture in the soil, 

 and other less important conditions affecting the prevalence of 

 certain trees were spoken of. The fact that seedlings of certain 

 trees cannot live and thrive in the shade of their parents was 

 mentioned as one of the chief causes of the rotation or succession 

 of species that is sometimes observed in forests. Young beeches 

 and maples are so tolerant of shade that they commonly succeed 

 older individuals of the same species, and white pine often suc- 

 ceeds itself when the stand is not too dense. 



On June 9, the sixth forestry lesson was given at the New 

 York Botanical Garden, with Mr. H. A. Gleason as instructor 

 and guide. The hemlock forest and other wooded portions of 

 Bronx Park were visited. The character of the forest floor, the 

 soil and light conditions, plant associations, and natural pruning 

 were the special subjects for observation and discussion. 



