1895.] Botany. 1007 
conditions and over such a wide extent of territory that they appear 
to be the prevailing conditions and not exceptional. 
Did these accumulations in the great valleys, often two miles or more 
in width, occur only on the northern and western sides of the high 
lands the theory of glacial drains might be supported. But they 
also occur on the southern and eastern sides of so many mountain 
masses so as to preclude the idea of their formation in glacial lakes. 
And the author has found the same structure within a few degrees of 
of the equator. 
The platforms are commonly cut out of till deposits filling preglacial 
valleys, and are covered with sands and gravels. From these evidences, 
the author concludes that the New England Mountain regions have 
been elevated at least 2700 feet in the post-glacial epoch, or in other 
words the post-glacial submergence was at least 2700 feet in New Eng- 
land, but much less farther westward. Although this great continen- 
tal movement has so recentlv occurred, yet the magnitude of the coastal 
changes have not yet been fully considered, but it was probably much 
less.—J. W. SPENCER. 
BOTANY." 
Sacaline.—Under this name a species of Polygonum (P. sachalin- 
ense F. Schmidt, from Saghalin Island) has been freely advertised in 
this country within the last six months as a forage plant, especially 
adapted to the conditions which prevail upon the Great Plains. Ex- 
travagant claims as to its great value were made by dealers who wished 
to supply the farmers with roots or seeds. It was said that from one 
hundred to nearly two hundred tons of the plant could be grown upon 
an acre, and the forage yielded by it was said to nearly or quite equal 
that of Alfalfa or Red Clover in nutritiousness. 
For two years the writer has watched carefully a clump of this 
plant growing upon a favorable spot upon the campus of the Univer- 
sity of Nebraska. In spite of the fact that the plants have had better 
care than they would have in an ordinary field, they have made but a 
moderate growth, at no time exceeding three feet in height. The 
clump is moderately ornamental, about as much so as a fine growth of 
dock (Rumex), and less so than rhubarb (Rheum). The foliage is 
neither dense nor abundant, while the stems and branches are very 
1 Edited by Prof. C. E. Bessey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, 
