804 The American Naturalist. [September, 
Rhus toxicodendron L. As an instance of adaptability to environ- 
ment, this species is noteworthy. It is very common on the sandy 
prairie of this region, perfectly upright, seldom over one foot high, 
with no tendency to creep, fruiting freely. Even in the brush you will 
seldom see it as a climber. It deserves more attention than most col- 
lectors would care to give it. 
The wild crab is represented in these counties by Pyrus ioensis 
(Wood) Bailey. It has been commonly called, heretofore, P. coronaria 
L. but is much too white-wooly. It forms large patches covering 
several acres in extent, and, when not browsed by cattle, produces use- 
ful fruit. Its western range, so far, is northern Brown County. 
Crataegus coccinea L. also represents the family with its beautiful 
scarlet clusters of edible fruit. While stray trees have been found in 
Cherry County, probably coming south from Rosebud Agency, where 
it is said to be common, I have not found it common west of Holt 
County. 
Amorpha microphylla Pursh. is a new shrub in Nebraska. I found 
it last year (1893) on the gumbo hills of Holt and Boyd Counties, 
very common, but quite confined to that soil. It was reported also 
from another section of the State. 
Up to the present time, no species of Oenothera has been reported 
as shrubby so far as my reading extends. I have seen indications in 
past years that caused me to suspect Oenothera serrulata Nutt of having 
the character, to some extent. This year, I have abundant confirma- 
ion. Here at Valentine. after a dry, hard winter that has killed whole 
timber claims of forest trees by freezing dry, a plant of this species has 
bloomed vigorously on shoots six inches long, starting from last year's 
stock five to six inches above the ground. The situation was fully ex- 
posed to all the rigors of the season. I have found several other plants 
sprouting vigorously two and three inches above ground. It shows 
about the same degree of hardiness as half the plants of Amorpha 
canescens Nutt., and quite as much as Gutierrezia euthamiae Torr. & 
Gray in this climate, both of which have long been classed as shrubs. 
ee Neb. —J. M. BATEs. 
Botany at Brooklyn.—The recent scientific meetings in Brook- 
lyn brought out a good number of botanists, whose papers and discus- 
sions touched upon nearly all parts of the subject of Botany, from 
Bacteriology to Paleobotany. That all were of a high order of merit 
could not be truthfully affirmed, but that all were creditable, and some 
of unusual interest is true. The botanists of the country have no rea- 
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