72 



The Plant World. 



NOTES AND COMMENT. 



In the February number of Torreya, F. C. Stewart and G. T. 

 French give interesting details and what seems ample proof of 

 the perennial habit of Cuscuta E pithy mum, which, taken in con- 

 nection with Professor Lloyd's notes in the Plant World for 

 February, 1908, and in the present number, suggests that this 

 habit may prevail widely throughout the United States, and 

 may be characteristic of more than one species of Cuscuta. 



With regard to the clover dodder the authors state that in 

 fields infested by it live dodder may be found readily during the 

 winter and spring, at any time when the ground is free from 

 snow. The hibernating threads of the parasite "appear in the 

 form of tufts of short, stout, yellow threads, one-fourth to one- 

 half inch long, attached to the bases of the branches close down 

 to the ground around the crown of the host plant, and espec- 

 ially on the under sides of branches lying close to the ground. 

 Yellow, haustoria-bearing threads tightly coiled around the very 

 lowest parts of the stem are also common," but in no case was 

 the parasite observed on the root. That the dodder thus found 

 is alive and capable of growth was proven by placing portions 

 of the infested hosts in a moist chamber and keeping them for 

 some days at a suitable temperature. Under these conditions 

 the threads of dodder lengthened promptly, and readily became 

 established on young alfalfa plants with which thev were brought 

 in contact. 



Teachers will be interested to know that James Vick's Sons 

 have arranged to supply teachers and school children with penny 

 packages of flower and vegetable seeds so that they may obtain 

 at the very lowest cost material for school garden work. The 

 arrangement as stated in their circulars is a very convenient 

 one for the children and for teachers as well. Information may 

 be obtained by addressing the firm at Rochester, New York. 



