THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 5^ 
The Opening of FLOWERS.-There still seems to be much to 
learn about the conditions which govern the opening and closing 
of certain flowers. The four o'clocks of our gardens are so nam- 
ed because they open very close to the hour of four in the after- 
noon, but late in summer, their ideas of time become sadly con- 
fused. They then are late in opening and do not close much be- 
fore noon the following day. The morning glories, too, which 
early in the season close by mid-day, in September would justify 
the name of all day glories often remaining open until dusk. Sci- 
entists are fond of telling us that the opening of the flowers, and 
their odors and colors are all adjusted to the wants of various in- 
sects, but it is probable that certain amounts of light and heat are 
fully as potent factors in developing fragrance, nectar and color. 
The behavior of the four-o'clocks and morning glories would 
seem to indicate that their opening and closing is not altogether 
with reference to insects. And what shall be said of the Goat's- 
beard (Tragopogon pratemis) which as soon as noon comes, 
promptly shuts up shop for the day regardless of the fact that its 
insect customers are then abroad in the greatest numbers. 
Odor of Catalpa Leaves. ~I have examined several catalpa 
trees since reading Mr. C. F. Saunders' note in the July issue of 
the Botanist, and in each instance found the terminal leaves of 
the branches "strongly scented." No odor was perceptible from 
the older leaves, neither did crushing them in my hand develop 
any. From which I conclude that only the new leaves at the ends 
of the branches are strongly scented. It is singular that this 
characteristic of the leaves should have been seemingly overlooked 
by our botanists, or, perhaps if known, was not thought worth 
the mention. The specimens I looked at, were doubtless Catalpa 
hignonioides, as that species is the one generally found growing 
on our Northern lawns. It is the species mentioned in "Illustrat- 
ed Flora" and Britton's new Manual as having stronger scented 
leaves than C. speciosa, the other member of the family. Poss- 
ibly the two species may be distinguished by the odor emitted 
from the terminal leaves. Some of the trees gave off a stronger 
odor than others. Catalpa leaves also afford a striking example 
of shrinkage in drying, the loss in size being about 45 per cent 
or nearly half. Consequently, if anything like accurate measure- 
