1914] CURRENT LITERATURE 537 
in progress at the Desert Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution and of the 
reports that are soon to appear. The activities are so numerous and the 
scientific staff so large that all cannot be mentioned in a brief notice, but some 
are a worthy of note. 
Studies upon the Salton Sea by MacpouGat and several of his associates 
since 1907 have been very extensive, and include investigations of the soil and 
rock deposits, yearly analyses of the water as the sea continued to dry up, 
studies of the action of this water upon vegetable tissues, of the destruction of 
plants under the specialized conditions of the Salton area are being studied, 
as well as the effects of various climatic complexes. W. A. CANNON is con- 
tinuing his investigations of the root characters of desert plants and has also 
extended his activities to include the roots of trees grown in the coastal climate 
of California. Forrest SHREVE and his associates have made critical studies 
of transpirational behavior in many very diverse plants, and also of growth 
rate and winter temperature in the Santa Catalina Mountains. H. A. SPOEHR 
has been investigating the photolytic effect of the blue-violet rays and their 
variations in polar radiation; while B. E. Livineston, with several assistants, 
has been making exact studies of the water relations of plants, including bot 
the aerial and the soil conditions. The fruit development of the Cactaceae 
has been investigated by D. S. JouNnson and the relationships and distribution 
of the same family by N. L. Britton and J. N. Rose.—Geo. D. FULLER. 
Annals of the Bolus Herbarium.—The first South African journal of 
botany has just made its appearance under the above title. The editor is 
Professor Pearson of the South African College. The first number of the 
journal contains 4o pages, and it is announced that two parts will probably 
appear each year, and that four parts will constitute a volume. The reasons 
for a South African journal of botany are given, and seem to be well taken. 
The field for botanical investigation in South Africa is very large and but 
sparsely occupied, and the number of those directly or indirectly interested 
in botanical work is increasing. ‘The new journal, as its name implies, 
mainly concerned with the botanical work inspired by Dr. Botus and with 
investigations conducted in connection with the Bolus Herbarium. 
means that its field will be chiefly the taxonomy, a plant geography, an 
economic botany of South Africa. There will also be included articles that 
may prove of assistance to those engaged in teaching iad In a certain 
sense the journal will also be an organ of the newly established National 
Botanic Garden. 
The first number contains the following papers: “On the flora of the 
Great Karasberg,” with an introduction by PEARSON giving an account t of the 
region, and a list of plants by F. and L. Botus and R. Grover; “Novitates 
