264 The American Naturalist. [Aprils 
A strong objection, however, to cutting up exsiccati is found 
in cases where species are described in them, and the exact 
dates of the descriptions are wanted. These dates are gener- 
ally given on the covers of the fasciculi, and are, of course, 
lost if the set is cut up and the specimens distributed. This 
can be partially remedied by preserving these covers, as the 
number of each specimen will indicate to which one it be- 
longs ; and this one objection is certainly overcome by the 
manifest advantages of wider usefulness, greater convenience 
of reference, and saving of time otherwise spent in determin- 
ing synonomy. — Roscoe Pound. 
Anemone cylindrica Gr. with Involucels.— Last 
year, in running over some Nebraska plants from Lincoln, 
with Mr. Pound, we noticed undoubted specimens oi Anemone 
cylindrica Gr., with one or two peduncles bearing two leaved 
involucels. Further examination of numerous specimens col- 
lected in the same vicinity at different times shows this 
peculiar feature to be of quite common occurrence. The 
leaves of the involucels are similar to those of the involucre. 
Authors, in characterizing this species, describe the pedun- 
cles as naked ; it is remarkable, then, that this peculiarity 
should occur so commonly. 
It may be a hybrid with A. dichotoma L., which is provided 
with an involucel, and occurs here commonly. — H. J. Webber. 
Polygonum incarnatum Ell. with Four-parted 
Perianth. — A form of Polygonum incarnatum Ell. is found 
commonly in the vicinity of Lincoln, Neb., having the peri- 
anth four-parted instead of five-parted as always described. 
On most heads, however, a few flowers may be found having 
the normal five sepals. P. incarnatum belongs to the section 
Persicaria Tourn., characterized as having a five-parted peri- 
anth. P. virginianum L., belonging to the section Tovaria 
Adans., which has the perianth four-parted, is found in the 
same vicinity. It is the only other four-sepaled species occur- 
ring.—//. J. Webber. 
L\FECTioN OF THE Barberry ; How Performed.— Let 
us suppose that we wish to perform the classical infection of 
the barberry with Puccinia graminis. In the autumn, six 
young barberries, small enough to be covered with a bell- 
glass, having been planted, as soon as their leaves are fully 
developed in the spring, they may be infected in the follow- 
ing manner : A quantity of Pnccinia graminis having also 
been provided in the autumn, and kept during the winter ia 
