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THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



absence of floAvers elsewhere in the region was not to be had. — 

 Edwin D. Hull. [The Hst of spring flowering species which 

 have been found in bloom in autumn is a long one and includes 

 all the violets, the hepatica, trailing arbutus, bloodroot, and the 

 rest. Various causes may account for such a phenomenon, but 

 any check to the vegetative vigor of the plant usually accom- 

 plishes it. A tree struck- by lightning, or defoliated by cater- 

 pillars, or injured by borers, may produce flowers in autumn. A 

 severe summer drouth, or an unusually late frost killing the 

 first crop of blossoms, or the removal of the parts above ground 

 may cause herbaceous species to bloom a second time. No 

 doubt a fire at the proper time would affect the plants in the 

 same way. Among plant growers it is known that to allow 

 plants to become "pot-bound," that is, allowing the pot to be- 

 come crowded with roots, will induce flowering in plants, and 

 so will the check caused by removing part of the root system. 

 Spring flowering shrubs may be induced to blossom in autumn 

 by freezing them, dipping the tops in hot water, or exposing 

 them to the fumes of ether. — Ed.] 



Phlox Blooming in Autumn. — Can some plant student 

 tell us if it frequently happens that the blue wood phlox (Phlox 

 diz'aricata) blooms a second time in a season? There are, of 

 course, some of our spring flowers that do this, as for instance 

 some species of violet, but I have never before seen the blue 

 phlox do so. This year, however, during late October, several 

 plants were found here bearing full-sized perfect flowers. To 

 find these, beautiful and sweet-scented as in spring at that date 

 was an unexpected treat. — B. O. JVoldcn, WaUingford, Iowa. 

 [Asa Gray used to say that one may expect to find albinos of 

 all blue and pink flowers and we may, with equal prescience add 

 that one may expect to find any spring flower blooming again 

 in autumn. Few of the spring flowers normally bloom in 

 autumn, but under certain circumstances all may do so. The 



