﻿6 I- [ELD AN' I) FOREST. 



explained by assuming the conditions of germination more- favorable 

 to the seeds which grow, than to others, admitting that all kinds were 

 equally distributed over the given locality. Of course in case only a 



single kind is sown no other explanation is needed. 



Botanische Zeitung. Prof. Ernst, of Caraccas, Venezuela, describes 

 the appearance of species of plants before unnoticed on soil freshly 

 exposed by grading the market place. But the ground was disturbed 

 30 years before, hence the circumstances do not appear to require a 

 greater duration of vitality than has been proved by direct experiment, 

 especially as with one exception all the species noted belong to the 

 vicinal flora. The exception was Capsella bursa-pastoris, that is very 

 common in most places, but not near Caraccas. 



Die Natur. H. B. Beta refers chiefly to the alleged growth of some 

 peas found in an Egyptian tomb, the produce of which is for sale. The 

 article reads more like the advertisement of a thrifty gardener than the 

 report of a scientific inquiry. 



Revue des deux Maudes. Michalet observes that after moving dilu- 

 vial sand in the neighborhood of Dole, it became covered with Galium 

 aug/icu/u, a plant before unknown in that neighborhood. 



Popular Science Monthly. In miscellany, refers to alleged growth 

 of peas from Egyptian tomb." No reference is given, but the state- 

 ment is similar in form to the article by H. B. Beta above referred to 

 in Die Natur. Prof. Heldreich, of Athens, Greece, states that on re- 

 moving the mass of slag, accumulated in working the Laurium silver 

 mines, 1,500 years ago, a quantity of a species of Glauciuni or horn 

 poppy appeared, which is thought to be a new species and has been 

 called G. serpieri. 



We believe that later examinations have thrown some doubts as to 

 this poppy being sufficiently distinct to justify making a new species of 

 it, and until that is settled it must take its place with the cases of spon- 

 taneous appearance of well-known species in new localities. 



The Popular Science Monthly adds, " the fact that the green sand 

 marl of New Jersey, sown upon lands almost sterile brings in white 

 clover (Tripoli inn repens) where it was not known before. This is 

 true, but if it has any relation to the vitality of seeds it must mean that 

 the seeds were in the marl when spread, which we think would hardly 

 be maintained by any one familiar with the substance. We have 

 known heaps of it exposed several seasons, and believe it unusual for 



