-XUARY 27, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



141 



lastly at the ends, which approach each 

 other slightly. Each half endocarp resem- 

 bles in a general way the capital letter J. 

 The apical portion of the endocarp presses 

 outward, while the basal portion tends to 

 twist inward. When dry enough, and the 

 carpel spreads open well, if the stems are 

 jarred against each other by wind or ani- 

 mal, or the caiTDel pressed laterally or from 

 each extremity, a sharp explosion follows 

 as the half endoearps complete their twist- 

 ing, thus liberating the thin placenta and 

 throwing out the seeds. When left to 

 themselves in a quiet place where there is 

 no artificial pressure, the tension of the 

 endocarp at length forces its way out, 

 sometimes sending one or both seeds seven- 

 teen feet, possibly in some cases aided some- 

 what by the wind. Next to an examina- 

 tion of the parts as they develop, is to see 

 models shaped like ripe pistils. The black, 

 smooth seeds are nearly spherical, with a 

 short neck. The seed is nearly 4.5 mm. 

 long, by 3 mm. or more in transverse di- 

 ameter. In size they are much lake those 

 of Vicia sativa. 



The Value of the Diatoms in Determining 

 the Direction of Ocean Currents and the 

 Origin of Sea-bottoms: Albert Mann. 

 The investigation of the Diatomace^e 

 contained in the United States sea-dredg- 

 ings and hydrographic soundings has 

 brought out the fact that these organisms 

 are a sure and the only sure index of the 

 origin of sea-bottoms and incidentally of 

 the extent and direction of sea-currents. 

 This comes fi'om four facts: (1) The in- 

 destructibility of diatom frustules, (2) 

 their extreme miniiteness, lightness and 

 hence transportability, (3) their enormous 

 numbers in genera and species, (4) the 

 great differences between recent and fossil 

 diatoms; between fresh-water and marine 

 diatoms ; between tropical, temperate and 

 arctic diatoms. Illustrations of the fore- 

 going facts from the dredgings and sound- 



ings examined; need of this work, espe- 

 cially in classifying and tabulating the 

 characteristic diatoms of the different sea- 

 bottoms. 



Economic Methods in Eestocking White 



Pine Forests: F. Wm. Rane. 



At present white pine lumber is getting 

 scarce and hence its value is increasing. 

 There is no lumber that can be depended 

 upon to take its place and the economic 

 problem of growing this tree for future 

 lumber is deserving of much study and 

 experimentation. This paper gives the 

 data obtained from experiments in util- 

 izing natural seedlings, showing that by 

 their use much economy can be practised in 

 restocking waste lands and in reconverting 

 pine forests into new forest growth. By 

 utilizing these seedlings, which at present 

 have little or no value, the whole expense of 

 restocking lands to forests can be accom- 

 plished at less expenditure than the orig- 

 inal cost of the plants themselves when 

 purchased from a nursery. Experiments 

 outlined show that one thousand three- 

 year-old seedlings can be dug and trans- 

 planted at a cost of one dollar and twenty- 

 flve cents a thousand. The nursery price 

 varies with various sections and the quan- 

 tity purchased, but it is safe to say that 

 the first cost of seedlings from this source 

 is much larger than the total expenditure 

 of digging and setting in the forjner. 



The Principles of Phytogeographical No- 

 menclature: Pehr Olsson-Sepfer. 

 (1) Clearness and conciseness are the 

 main requisites for a system of terminol- 

 ogy. (2) Each technical term should have 

 only one meaning. (3) In case of doubt- 

 ful terms consult the proposer of the name. 

 If the conception it represents is not abso- 

 lutely clear, the name has no status in 

 nomenclature. (4) If a term has been 

 commonly used and understood in another 

 sense than the original author proposed, it 



