SCIENCE. 
[Vou. IL, No. 68 
INTELLIGENCE FROM AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC STATIONS. 
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. 
U.S. geological survey. 
Mineral statistics of the United States. — Mr. Albert 
Williams, jun., is arranging for the issue of a second 
‘volume on the mining industries and mineral re- 
sources of the United States, and is now engaged 
in the preliminary work necessary to facilitate its 
preparation. This report will cover statistically the 
calendar years of 1883 and 1884; preserving, how- 
ever, the record for former years, already published 
in his first report. The general form and scope of 
the work will be similar to that previously followed. 
Repetition of text matter will be avoided, and the 
chief aim will be to treat in greater detail such topics 
as could not well be enlarged upon in the first report 
without extending it beyond the proper limits. 
The second volume, while complete in itself from 
a Statistical point of view, will complement the first 
in the matter of description of localities, metallur- 
gical processes, etc. A change which will add to 
the interest of the work will be the introduction of 
a series of graphic statistical charts, showing at a 
glance the progress in the several industries. <A fair 
Start has already been made, and the work will be 
pushed energetically with a view to secure the 
promptness in publication which is so necessary in 
reports of this class. The value of such statistics 
to the industries whose progress they record is the 
quickness with which they are given to the public. 
There is a somewhat prevalent idea that such work 
cannot be published within a reasonable time after 
the expiration of the time to which it refers. This 
is refuted by Mr. Williams’s first report, which was 
issued early in the fall of 1883; and the results of the 
work, in a condensed form, were given to the public 
within a few weeks after the manuscript was given 
to the printer, which was on the 30th of June, to 
which date the production statistics were carried. 
Glacial striae. — Prof. T. C. Chamberlin is collect- 
ing and compiling all observations on glacial striation 
RECENT PROCEEDINGS 
Torrey botanical club, New York. 
May 13.—Mr. Bicknell read a paper upon Carex 
Pennsylvanica and Carex varia, referring particu- 
larly to the difference of habit of the subterranean 
parts of the plants. C. Pennsylvanica throws out 
runners early in the year, which soon root, and be- 
come underground stems. These extend in all 
directions from the parent plant, each fostering a suc- 
cession of shoots, some of which themselves become 
centres of a secondary series of runners. I have un- 
earthed these runners, bearing, at intervals of a few 
inches, four or more generations of living shoots, to- 
gether with the remains of several older generations. 
It thus appears that the new shoots do not always be- 
within the limits of the United States. The results 
of his work will be embodied in a bulletin to be pub- 
lished by the survey. He would be glad to incor- 
porate any unpublished notes which observers may 
be kind enough to communicate. As full details as 
practicable are desired, relating to the character of 
the striations, locality, kind of rock, inclination of 
striated surface, altitude, and other topographical 
relations, etc. Professor Chamberlin would also 
esteem it a favor to have his attention directed to 
observations recorded in unusual publications, or in 
those not readily accessible, or for any other reasons 
liable to be overlooked. 
Topographic notes. — The work of compiling topo- 
graphic material for the map of the District of Colum- 
bia and adjoining territory has been completed; and 
the party under Mr. S. ‘H. Bodfish’s supervision was, 
during March and April, engaged in field-work for 
the purpose of obtaining data, with the object of 
finishing the survey of the area left untouched by 
the coast and geodetic survey. —— Field-work for 
the completion of the map of the Denver basin will 
soon be undertaken. Mr. Anton Karl, who has 
charge of the topographic work in the Rocky Moun- 
tain district, has left the Washington office, and is 
on his way to Denver to begin this work, which was 
temporarily suspended last summer. He expects to 
finish it in about six weeks. All that remains to be 
done is to carry the triangulation over the area, and 
to complete the filling-in of the contours. The map 
will include about a thousand square miles, ona scale 
of one mile to one inch.— In the division of the 
Pacific, work during March was much interfered 
with by rainy weather. Mr. Hoffmann, after com- 
pleting his map of the New Idria district, proceeded 
to Sulphur Bank, where he was making good prog- 
ress, correcting and adding to his former work there. 
—— Office-work is progressing satisfactorily. Some 
of the maps are fast approaching completion, and 
preparations will soon be made for putting the vari- 
ous parties in the field for the coming season. 
OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
come established as separate plants, but that often a 
series of tufts remain permanently attached by under- 
ground connection for many years. The separate 
tufts do not appear to live more than about two 
years. Where this sedge grows in abundance its 
runners may be found crossing and re-crossing 
beneath the surface of the ground; and careful exca- 
vation will show that many apparently distinct plant- 
lets belong to the same system of underground stem. ’ 
The runners are at first clothed with closely imbri- 
cated scales, arising from nodes all along the stem. — 
These ultimately decay, and become frayed into a — 
coarse fringe, which remains apressed to the stem in 
whorls from every node. In C. varia the habit of 
growth is entirely different. This species shows no — 
