230 



on a large scale, and multiplying abundantly in the richer soil of 

 the prairie, which held enough of sand for its nature, soon stocked 

 the ground. Blooming profusely the showy flowers were doomed 

 to be picked by the people living around, especially by the chil- 

 dren. As more houses were built and population increased the 

 case of the violets became more and more adverse. They were 

 literally picked by the hundred by the eager visitors. This re- 

 sulted in the extermination of the plant in a few years, and long 

 before the ground was taken for the purpose of the park, about 

 five years ago, not a bird-foot-violet could be found. Johnny 

 jump-up, as the children called the plant, had succumbed to the 

 predatory habits of the flower gatherers. Had it not been an 

 exception to the usual custom of the genus in producing cleistog- 

 amous flowers, I should have expected a different result. This 

 seems evident from the ability of the various species of blue 

 violets, which abound in the woods and fields contiguous to the 

 city, to hold their place notwithstanding they are picked annu- 

 ally in great numbers. The inconspicuous summer and autumn 

 flowers, unknown to the vast majority of flower gatherers, and 

 without attraction to such, provide the seeds for multiplying and 

 perpetuating their kind. Hence I do not perceive any sensible 

 diminution in their numbers when not subject to other causes 

 than the gathering for bouquets. 

 Chicago, Illinois 



REVIEWS 



Kiikenthal's Cyperaceae-Caricoideae 'J' 



The volume of the Pflanzenreich issued on May i8 last, 

 contains the first attempt to present descriptions and keys of all 

 species of Carex and related genera occurring throughout the 

 world. The work — a bulky volume of over 800 pages — is the 

 result of many years' labor by the learned author Georg Kiiken- 

 thal. It contains a very great amount of material of interest and 

 value to all students of the genera dealt with, and will prove of 

 great aid to American students. 



*Das Pflanzenreich (38 Heft. IV. 20) Cyperaceae-Caricoideae by Georg Kiiken- 

 thal. Pp.384, f. 128. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, 1909. Mk. 41.20. (Issued 

 May 18.) 



