213 



ing Yosemite Park were devastated, but the work done by the 

 United States troops prevented the fire from reaching the big tree 

 grove. 



Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, the fourth vol- 

 ume of which was recently issued, makes a valuable addition to 

 any biological department. For ready reference it is as invaluable 

 as the Cyclopedia of Horticulture, and it unfortunate that the 

 price prevents every teacher of botany from having one in the 

 school library. 



The diseases of deciduous forest trees are described in a recent 

 bulletin (No. 149, Bureau of Plant Industry) by Dr. Hermann 

 von Schrenk and Mr. Perley Spaulding. The pamphlet, which 

 is well iHustrated,-includes a large number of tree diseases. As is 

 usual in such government publications, remedies and methods 

 of preventing the spread of the diseases are fully described. The 

 blight of the white pine form two smaller circulars by Mr. 

 Spaulding (circulars 35 and 38) ; this is considered rather serious 

 as we are now dependent upon the second growth of white pine. 



Plant preservation advocates in America have never met the . 

 warm encouragement that the Surrey (England) officials offer in 

 order to put a stop to the serious damage done by persons up- 

 rooting ferns and wild plants growing in hedgerows and on 

 commons, etc. The County Council of Surrey has made the 

 following by-laws : " No person shall uproot or destroy any 

 ferns or other wild plants growing in any road, lane, roadside 

 waste, wayside bank, or hedge, common, or other public place, 

 in such a manner or in such quantities as to damage or disfigure 

 such road, lane, or other place. Provided that this by-law shall 

 not apply to persons collecting specimens in small quantities for 

 private or scientific use. A person offending against this by-law 

 shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ^5." 



A western newspaper says that "Texas and Oklahoma bid fair 

 to reap a rare stroke of good fortune from the unprecedented hot 

 weather. Dr. W. D. Hunter, government entomologist in charge 



