192 B00&-NOTES, NEWS, ETG. 



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We learn that Grevillea has become the property of Mr. E. A. L. 

 Batters, who proposes to continue its quarterly publication. Mr. 

 George Massee will edit the new series. 



We regret to record the death of Edward von Eegel, the learned 

 and energetic Director of the Imperial Botanic Garden, St. Peters* 

 bnrg. He was born at Gotha, Aug, 13th, 1815, and died at 

 St. Petersburg on April 27th. 



The eleventh centuria of the Herbarium Austro-Africanum, 

 issued by Prof. MacOwan and Mr. H. Bolus during the years 

 1885-92, has just been sent out. It and Cent. xii. have been 

 delayed by Mr, Bolus's absence in Europe. Cent. xiii. was issued 

 in advance of these two in 1891, and consists entirely of Griqualand 

 East plants from Tyson. About a third of Cent. xi. consists of 

 Natal plants, contributed by Mr. J. Medley Wood, Curator of 

 Durban Bot. Garden ; a third from the indefatigable Griqualand 

 East collector, Tyson; the rest are of Mr. Bolus's collecting. 

 This issue is made gratis to the ten principal European and 

 American herbaria, as the most useful contribution which the Cape 

 Government Herbarium can make to the common cause. 



Marquand 



yf 



& 



actions of the Guernsey Society of Natural Science. In the present 

 list, which may be regarded as a prelude to the complete Flora which 

 Mr. Marquand has in hand, he enumerates 636 flowering plants, 

 18 ferns, and 9 fern-allies ; of these about 130 are not recorded for 

 Guernsey by Prof. Babington in his Primitia Flora Sarnicea (1839), 

 while about 40 included in the Primitice have not been found by 

 Mr. Marquand. Copies of the list may be had at the Guille-AUes 

 Library, price Is. 



M Nature's greatest curiosity/' is the heading of a hand-bill sent 

 out from Northampton. It is accompanied by a highly idealised 

 representation of Trapa bispinosa, which is thus described: — " This 

 wonderful curiosity is known as the Chinese Lily Bulb, or Water 

 Plant. It was first discovered growing in the great lake of Alak, 

 in the north-western part of China. It is the only plant in the 

 known world that will grow a long vine, and produce beautiful 

 flowers out of a common glass or a jar of water. It is especially 

 noted for its long and beautiful vine, and the great beauty and 

 delightful fragrancy of its flowers. These great curiosities of 

 nature were first introduced and sold in the American Exhibition, 

 Philadelphia, and only of late a very small quantity being imported 

 into this Country, which has made them very scarce and valuable. 

 Place the Lily Bulbs in a jar of water, change water once or twice 

 a week. They will float for several days, and gradually sink to the 

 bottom. It takes twelve to fifteen days before they will commence 

 to grow. If they should not commence to grow in fifteen days, cut 

 off the crown of the Bulb carefully, so as not to injure the sprout." 

 " Seven Plants sent Post Free for 15 stamps," is singularly cheap 

 for a marvel of this kind. 



