ABSTRACTS. 



927 



Non-hygrophile inland formations, consisting of forest, mixed forest 

 and pine barrens, non-cultural cleared land, with the arboreous, shrubby 

 and herbaceous associations, are given. Cultural formations, with descrip- 

 tions of field crops, cultivated trees, and weeds, with their adaptation to 

 environment. 



Fresh water and marsh formations, open swamps, with adaptations 

 to reduce transpiration, aeration, and environment, with the living forms 

 of vegetation found therein. Aquatic vegetation is also briefly dealt 

 with. 



The phytogeographical affinities of the flora, with positions in life 

 zones of N. America, the northern and southern limits of austro-riparian 

 plants in the Dismal Swamp region, with their relationship to other floras, 

 are ably set forth. 



The agricultural products, truck crops, cereals, cotton, forage plants, 

 peanuts, fruits, and other crops are shown, together with some notes on 

 agricultural weeds. 



An endeavour is made to ascertain the value or relation of native 

 plant growth as an indication to the character of soils. The volume is 

 concluded with a bibliography of the works dealing either directly or 

 indirectly with the subject. — E. F. H. 



Dorycnium, The Genus. By M. Eikli {Engl. Bot. Jahrb. xxxi. 

 pp. 314-404, tt. vii.-x. ; 10/12/1901). — An exhaustive systematic account 

 of the genus, including details of observations on variability, and elaborate 

 notes on geographical distribution. — A. B. B. 



Dresden, Plants Specially Cultivated in. By M. Rene Sertin 



{Jour. Soc. Nat. Hort. Fr., p. 942). — The methods of culture of 

 Azalea inclica, Camellias, and Rhododendrons for the flower markets of 

 Germany and elsewhere are described. These seem to difier from the 

 Belgian culture by the seemingly more hardy treatment and employment 

 of less heat in the cultivation of the plants named above. 



The larger proportion of plants are sorts adapted to forcing, and so the 

 number of names of sorts most in cultivation seems to us limited. — G. P. 



Drought, Combating" {Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. p. 1,291 ; October 1901). 

 A record of interesting investigations carried out by Messrs. W. M. 

 Haye and W. G. Smith, of the Minnesota Agricultural Experimental 

 Station, as to the best means of combating drought. — A. W. S. 



Drying" Plants, Some Methods of. By S. Rostowzew {Flora, 

 vol. Ixxxviii. 1901, pp. 473-8; 2 cuts). — Method 1. The plants are piled 

 between sheets of absorbent cotton wool, each gummed by the edges to a 

 sheet of silk-paper. These are piled to a height of 4-6 inches and 

 pressed in Scheider's " lattice-plant press," and left in a dry place (such 

 as a warm linen press) till desiccation, usually about two or three days. 

 Method 2. A cylinder of perforated metal, say 20 inches high and 14 inches 

 in diameter, is mounted on a tripod under which a lamp is burned. The 

 surface of the cylinder is covered with linen attached to two opposite 

 vertical rods provided with screws and butterfly nuts ; over this the plants 

 are placed between layers of filter paper, and a second envelope of linen 



