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Vol. XXIII May- June, 1922 No. 269- 270 JOURNAL OF The New York Botanical Garden EDITOR R. S. WILLIAMS Administrative Assistant CONTENTS PAGE The Saw- Cabbage Palm 61 Black Ducks in Nesting Time 70 The Iris Society Exhibition 72 The Francis Lynde Stetson Fund 73 Conference Notes for April 73 Notes, News and Comments 74 Accessions 78 PRICE f I. OO A YEAR; IO CENTS A COPV PUBLISHED FOR THE GARDEN A I 8 WEST KING STREET. LANCASTER, PA INTELLIGENCER PRINTING COMPANY O F K I C B R S , 1922 PRESIDENT— W. GILMAN THOMPSON f HENRY W. DeFOREST VICE- PRESIDENTS j F R E D E R I C S. LEE TREASURER— JOHN L. MERRILL ASSISTANT TREASURER— HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE SECRETARY— N. L. BRITTON 1. ELECTED MANAGERS Term expires January, 1923 EDWARD D. ADAMS JOHN L. MERRILL ROBERT W. De FOREST J. P. MORGAN DANIEL GUGGENHEIM F. K. STURGIS Term expires January, 1924 N. L. BRITTON LEWIS RUTHERFURD MORRIS HENRY W. De FOREST FREDERIC R. NEWBOLD W. J. MATHESON W. GILMAN THOMPSON Term expires January, 1925 HENRY De FOREST BALDWIN ADOLPH LEWISOHN PAUL D. CRAVATH BARRINGTON MOORE JOSEPH P. HENNESSEY WILLIAM BOYCE THOMPSON 2. EX- OFFICIO MANAGERS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK HON. JOHN F. HYLAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS HON. FRANCIS DAWSON GALLATIN 3. SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS PROF. R. A. HARPER, Chairman EUGENE P. BICKNELL PROF. FREDERIC S. LEE DR. NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER HON. GEORGE J. RYAN PROF. WILLIAM J. GIES PROF. HERBERT M. RICHARDS PROF. JAMES F. KEMP PROF. HENRY H. RUSBY G A R D E N S T A F F DR. N. L. BRITTON, Director- in- Chief ( Development, Administration) DR. H. A. GLEASON, Assistant Director ( Administration) DR. JOHN K. SMALL, Head Curator of the Museums ( Flowering Plants) DR. W. A. MURRILL, Supervisor of Public Instruction DR. P. A. RYDBERG, Curator ( Flowering Plants) DR. MARSHALL A. HOWE, Curator ( Flowerless Plants) DR. FRED J. SEAVER, Curator ( Flowerless Plants) ROBERT S. WILLIAMS, Administrative Assistant PERCY WILSON, Associate Curator JAMES A. CRAWFORD, Associate Curator DR. A. B. STOUT, Director of the Laboratories DR. JOHN HENDLEY BARNHART, Bibliographer KENNETH R. BOYNTON, Head Gardener SARAH H. HARLOW, Librarian DR H. H. RUSBY, Honorary Curator of the Economic Collections ELIZABETH G. BRITTON, Honorary Curator of Mosses DR. ARTHUR HOLLICK, Paleobotanist Dr- H. M. DENSLOW, Honorary Custodian COL. F. A. SCHILLING, Museum Custodian JOHN R. BRINLEY, Landscape Engineer WALTER S. GROESBECK, Clerk and Accountant ARTHUR J. CORBETT, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN PLATE 271 ' JBB « ^ R3 ^ vSw KKPFV ' isHH sRjKm ^ fc^$ ffi\ MEBBKwKSm * k * 4 ^ B H H | pJ/^ EJtHiB i^& jMwaBWMB 3 ll KFVy ? , tfc^^ K W^ Hsi K^ 3K 1^ 1 ^ SH Si i^ WBfiti Sira illiily ISS^ HHM - ^ JSSUUSF - vl> ^' ^ K l ^ f E r ^# 880 P « l | iJi ' iBRW ffc"^ fe^^ i RS^ EEH ft. Wt^ Rl^^ l R U m t M M ; ^ H I E 9 • HBBIPA.^ EB • HHHBHEHEUK'^*' *^^ H HPMB^^^ SBB % < ^ yf-^ at V | l| t; w$- PSST*'" » i^ v* HHi H? 9 On shore of Cuthbert Lake, southern end of the Florida peninsula.— A small colony of the saw- cabbage palm in a hammock. The several stems — really branches— arise from a branching rootstock or main stem system. The erect stems resemble stout fishing poles. They are light and very fibrous, and thus being pliable and well anchored in the ground the colony is able to successfully resist the fiercest hurricanes. JOURNAL OF The New York Botanical Garden VOL. XXIII May- June, 1922 No. 269- 270 THE SAW- CABBAGE PALM THE HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PAUROTIS WRIGHTIL With Plates 271— 27J. Palms have always been interesting, even fascinating plants; and although they may be readily recognized even by those with the least technical knowledge concerning them, they are, nevertheless, of a vast variety. The United States is merely on the northern edge of the geographic range of the palms of the New World. Yet, south of the latitude of Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic coast and the San Bernardino district in California— the northern outposts of the American palm habitats— not less than fourteen well marked species of the palm family grow naturally. They largely prefer the lowlands. Some of these species are widely distributed geographically; others are restricted to quite limited areas; but none have altitudinal distribution beyond a few hundred feet. They favor the east. One species alone occurs naturally on the Pacific side of the continent, while the other thirteen, except two species, are restricted in their distribution to the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain. Among these the blue- stem ( Sabal Adansonii) and the needle- palm ( Rhapidophyllum Hystrix), range beyond the bounds of the Coastal Plain and extend their ranges a short distance into the Piedmont. Those species, in the Coastal Plain north of southern peninsular Florida, are more 61 62 or less associated with other palms, such as the cabbage- tree ( Sabal Palmetto), the scrub- palmetto ( Sabal Etonia), and the saw- palmetto ( Serenoa repens'). In southern Florida seven other palms occur. Some of them have been well known there for many years, while the discovery of others has been comparatively recent. The latest palm to be discovered in Florida— Paurotis Wrightii, sometimes popularly known as the saw- cabbage palm — is one of our more interesting and rarer palms. Closely associated with the lower parts of the Lossman ' s River limestone of the Ten Thousand Islands, the Cape Sable Region, and the extreme southern end of the Florida peninsula, it occurs in the least accessible parts of the State. And this is perhaps why, although thirty years had elapsed since its discovery on the North American mainland, it was until quite recently so utterly misinterpreted. In May, 1887, Pliny Ward Reasoner2 during a short vacation trip along the lower western coast of Florida, by boat, discovered the palm under discussion in the royal palm region or district of the Cape Romano region. Neither flowers nor fruits were then secured. In the fall of the following year, shortly after the death of Pliny Reasoner, his brother, E. N. Reasoner3, made a pilgrimage SERENOA REPENS ( Bartram) Corypha repens Bartram, " frondibus expansis, flabelliformibus, plicatL, stipit. spinosis." Chamaerops serrulata Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 206. 1803. Serenoa serrulata Hook; Benth. & Hook, Gen. Pl. 3: 926. 1888. 2Pliny Ward Reasoner was born May 6, 1863, at Princeton, Illinois, where he received his education and at an early age became interested in botany and horticulture. About 1883 he went to Florida, establishing the Royal Palm Nurseries at Oneco, and in 1885 formed a partnership with his brother, E. N. Reasoner, under the name of Reasoner Bros. He was horticultural superintendent in charge of the subtropical exposition at Jacksonville, 1887- 88, and one of the three Florida commissioners to the Atlanta exposition of 1888; and he was becoming widely known as a cultivator of tropical and subtropical plants and a contributor to horticultural literature when an attack of yellow fever suddenly terminated his career, at the early age of twenty- five. He died at Manatee, Florida, September 17, 1888. — John Hendley Barnhart. * Egbert Norman Reasoner was born at Princeton, Illinois, May 24, 1869. 63 to the region just referred to above, where he secured seeds of this same palm and also a few plants; but it was not until a decade later ( 1898) that the requisite flowers and fruits were forthcoming. These were found near the source of the Cho-koloskee River, as will be seen by subsequent quotations. Specimens were later sent to Charles S. Sargent1 at the Arnold Arboretum, and he then associated them with the genus Serenoa, and described the palm as Serenoa arborescens. Professor Sargent, in a note accompanying the original description2, said: " This second species of Serenoa differs from the type of the genus, the well- known saw palmetto of the southern states, in its arborescent habit, more elongated spadix, much smaller flowers, and smaller globose fruit and seeds, and is certainly a most interesting addition to the trees of the United States. The existence of an undescribed palm on the Chockoloskee river was known to me as long ago as 1887, when it was discovered without flowers and fruit in the Royal Palm Hummock, not far from the town of Everglade, by the late P. W. Reasoner, of Oneco, Florida; but it was not until the past season that I obtained the flowers and fruit from Mr. R. G. Corbitt of Immockalee, Florida, who has found this palm growing abundantly in the swamps about thirty miles southeast of Lake Trafford, near the head of the Chockoloskee. In December 1898, seeds of Serenoa arborescens were distributed from the Arnold Arboretum as " New palm from the Florida everglades." Neither of the geographical designations for the original locality of this palm are correct, in other words Serenoa arborescens was not discovered near the Chokoloskee River nor in He joined his brother, Pliny Ward Reasoner, in Florida, in the fall of 1885, and although his brother died only three years later the firm name of Reasoner Brothers has continued in use until the present time. He has done much collecting of seeds and living plants in tropical Florida, has traveled widely in the United States, Europe, and the West Indies, and has contributed to Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Horticulture and Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture.— J. H. Barnhart. 1 See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden S3: 33- 43- 1922- ' Botanical Gazette 27: 92. 1899. 64 the Royal Palm Hammock; but was first collected in a " point of cypress" several miles northwest of the headwaters of Allen River, a locality midway between the two stations cited above which are twenty odd miles distant from each other. The type locality was visited by the writer in the spring of 1921. It is true that there were three royal- palms growing in this point of cypress at the time of the discovery of the " Serenoa", but it was in no sense the Royal Palm Hammock which is far to the westward and back of Marco. These three royal palms were killed in the " freezes" of 1894 and 1895, which occurred only six weeks apart. Parts of the column- like trunks of the royal palms are still standing, but the species ( Roystonea regia) is now extinct there and it is not likely it will be reestablished through natural agencies. The geographic range and the number of individuals of the royal palm in Florida have evidently been shrinking for many years as a result of destructive natural agencies. In connection with the description in the Silva1, published three years later, where the palm was also figured, Professor Sargent says: " At the time of its discovery neither flowers nor fruit were collected, but in October, 1888, Mr. E. N. Reasoner visited the Chockoliskee River and obtained a few seeds, a stem for the Jesup Collection of North American Woods in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and a few small plants. One of these has been grown in my Garden in Brookline, Massachusetts, and is now about eight feet high. In the spring of 1898 Dr. Robert Ridgway, the distinguished ornithologist, informed me that his guide on a recent journey which he had made to the southeast of Fort Myers on the Caloosahatchee River, Mr. R. G. Corbitt of Immockalee, had told him of a tall slender Palm in the Cypress swamps thirty or forty miles to the southeast of Lake Trafford and near the head of the Chockoliskee; and through Mr. Corbitt I obtained in 1898 leaves, flowers, and ripe fruits of this interesting Palm, which proved identical with the one discovered by Mr. Reasoner, and a second species of Serenoa." 1 Silva of North America 17: 77. pl. 734. 1902. it* 65 In a later paper1 on the genus, Sargent gives a further note a the geographic distribution of the species in question, which : as by that time transferred to the genus Acoelorraphe. It reads: " An additional station for Acoelorraphe arborescens is at the ead of East River, White Water Bay, where it was collected y A. A. Eaton on March 22, 1905, and by J. B. Ellis in June and ' ctober, 1908." Just twenty years after the discovery of Serenoa arborescens, 1 1907, John J. Soar and Marion Soar, while on a plant unting excursion, found their way into a large bay, apparently ill nameless, lying east of Maderia Bay at the southern end of le Florida peninsula, and north of Big Boggy. There they discovered a palm unknown to them. They irried home a piece about as large as one's arm and later planted on the bank of the Little River north of Miami. It was the Line as the plant discovered earlier by Mr. Reasoner. This irticular specimen has grown into a beautiful many- stemmed irub at least twenty feet tall. Interest was again awakened in Florida and West Indian palms lortly after the beginning of the present century. In 1902 O. F. 00k2 described a new genus with one species3 from specimens > llected on western Andros, Bahamas, by John I. and Alice R. orthrop. 4 When the Andros specimens came to light matters : came more interesting. It was seen that the Andros plant, dging from the specimens just referred to, was the same as opernicia Wrightii of Cuba. Soon after it became evident that ie Andros, Cubans, and Floridan plants represented not only le genus, but one species. The problem was taken up by Odoardo Beccari, 5 who re- 1 Trees and Shrubs 2: 118. 1911. 2 See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden : 33- 43- 1922. 3 Paurotis androsana O. F. Cook, Mem. Torrey Club 12: 22. 1902. ' See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden : 39. 1922. Mrs. Northrop lost her life at Mt. Riga, New York, near ; state lines of Massachusetts and Connecticut, May 6, 1922, when the tomobile in which she was riding was struck by a train. sOdoardo Beccari, born at Florence, Italy, November 19, 1843, was edu-ted at Lucca, Pisa, and Bologna. In early life, from 1865 to 1878, he ; nt much time in botanical exploration, visiting for that purpose Abyssinia, 66 surrected the unpublished generic name Acoelorraphe1 and published both the Cuban and the Floridan species under it2. Beccari records a slightly different version of the discovery of the flowers and the fruits in Florida. He says, the flowers were collected thirty miles southeast of Lake Trafford near the source of the Chokoloskee River in May, 1898, by R. G. Corbitt and t h a t the fruits were collected in Royal Palm Hammock in December 1898 by R. B. Storter. The original description of Serenoa arborescens and the plate subsequently printed in the Silva3 are, in themselves, sufficient to exclude the plant from the genus Serenoa, and had the author of Serenoa arborescens seen the palm growing in its native haunts he surely would not have associated it with t h a t genus. From the writer's experience with this palm he would consider the case of Serenoa arborescens versus Paurotis Wrightii an excellent example of indoor- botany versus field- botany. At any rate, Sargent accepted Beccari's treatment of the genus, at least as far as Florida is concerned, and published a synopsis of the two species there recognized, a description of Acoelorraphe Wrightii with a plate4. However, he is careful to make it clear t h a t he himself is not responsible for maintaining two species5, but throws the burden of proof on Beccari who has already attempted to distinguish them. 6 The writer, within the past few years, has had the good fortune to be able to penetrate into different parts of the area occupied by this palm in the Cape Sable region of Florida. India. Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Amboina, Papua, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1878 he was appointed director of the botanical garden and museum of his native city, but retired within a year or two, as director emeritus, to devote all of his attention to the study of his extensive collections. For many years he was recognized as the foremost student of the palms of the world. He died at Florence, October 25, 1920.— John Hendley Barnhart. 1 Referred to by Wendland in 1879, but not published. 2 Webbia 2: 107- 118. 1907. 3 C. S. Sargent, Silva of North America 14: pl. 714. 1902. 4 Trees and Shrubs 2: 117- 120. pl. 151. 1911. 6 Trees and Shrubs 2: 118. • Webbia 2: 107- 118. 1907. 67 He first encountered it in abundance in the hammocks bordering Cuthbert Lake1. En route to that very isolated locality he first saw small specimens of it along some of the arboreous tunnels, which must be traversed to reach the lake; but it was the higher ground about the lake that supported magnificent colonies of this palm. Those in shaded places with tall naked stems of nearly uniform height bore only a brush- like crown of leaves at the top; whereas the colonies in exposed situations had more copiously leafy stems and greater variety in length. These latter colonies thus present beautiful masses or banks of green foliage. The localities mentioned are within the influence of the tides of the Bay of Florida and the waters are strictly saline. The day following our introduction to this palm we again encountered it about Coot Bay, which is one of the multitudinous subdivisions of the so- called White Water Bay, which is largely a vast labyrinth of mangrove swamps and channels. It cuts off the Cape Sable region proper, a crescentic area of about one hundred and twenty- five square miles with Coot Bay forming its southeastern extremity and approaches to within about two miles of the Bay of Florida. Coot Bay, however receives its tidal influence not from the nearby Bay of Florida, but from the Gulf of Mexico, whose nearest inlets situated in the southern part of the Ten Thousand Islands, are about twenty miles distant in a direct line. Like the Cuthbert Lake region, the Coot Bay region is strictly saline, except for the varying rainfall which, of course, has little effect on the water supply of the vegetation. We next encountered this palm in Madeira Hammock, which surrounds Madeira Bay and is situated a little east of the middle of the lower end of the Florida peninsula. Here, at least in a given area, the growth is much more copious than at the two above mentioned localities. The growth of broad- leaved trees is not continuous along the • shore of Madeira Bay; but it is interrupted at several places by prairies that reach to the water's edge. They are southward extensions from the Everglades. 1 Journal of the New York Botanical Garden 17: 189- 202. 1916. The Cape Sable Region of Florida 1- 27. 1919. 68 At both Cuthbert Lake and Coot Bay the palm is largely hidden in the hammocks; but at Madeira Bay large colonies of. it may be seen while crossing the bay, both in the prairies and in the hammock, where the crowns of leaves are often conspicuous above the roof of the hammock. The stems of the colonies growing in the hammocks seem to be taller than those of the prairies. Perhaps this condition is brought about by the less frequent fires, and thus, in order to get more light, the crowns of necessity push themselves above the shade of the broad- leaved tree- tops. Their stems are very closely set, as well as numerous. The growth is often so dense that one cannot get through the stockade of stems. On the prairies the colonies are often swept by prairie fires. The first time we visited that locality the plants were in beautiful leafage and the prairie was densely clothed with tall grass. On our second visit the prairie was barren and the colonies of palms comprised blackened poles with stubs of charred petioles sticking out irregularly where the crown of leaves should have been. Of course, after a time, new leaves are developed, the blackened petioles are pushed off and the colonies again assume their normal condition. Madeira Bay and Coot Bay represent the southern limit of this palm in Florida. It has not yet been found on the Florida Keys. There is, however, a chance of finding it growing on some of the islands between Big Pine Key and Boca Chica Key. In our next experience with it we approached it from the opposite direction, that is, from the north. On the prairie about ten miles southwest of Royal Palm Hammock, Dade County, this plant appears to be perfectly at home under freshwater conditions instead of salt. It grows just as plentifully and as luxuriantly as- at the localities mentioned before. This fourth region is apparently not many miles distant from either Cuthbert Lake or Madeira Hammock. However, of the four localities it is the one where the palm shows to the best advantage, for the prairies are open and the hammocks are small, at least, relatively so, and scattered too. The isolated colonies and those raising their tops above the hammocks are visible for long distances over the prairies, and when in fruit > 69 the elongated spadices with numerous red or purple fruits constitute the most conspicuous element in the landscape. The visit to the type locality of Serenoa arborescens was made for the purpose of determining whether that palm was really distinct from Paurotis Wrightii ( Acoelorraphe Wrightii). • With the plants ( Acoelorraphe arborescens) of the Cape Romano region fresh in mind, we compared them with those of the Cuthbert Lake- Madeira Hammock region. The writer found that the only character that appeared worth while in Beccari's diagnosis-— that is, the lobing of the leaf- blade— failed utterly. The habit of the plants in all the regions is identical. As a means for future comparison, living specimens were taken from various regions, which really represent the extremes of the geographical range in Florida, and planted in the reservations of Mr. Charles Deering at Buena Vista and at Cutler. As all the Paurotis now known in Florida is referable to a single species, the synonymy would stand thus: Paurotis Wrightii ( Griseb. & Wendl.) Britton and Shafer, N. A. Trees 141. fig. 107. 1908. Copernicia Wrightii Griseb. & Wendl.; Griseb. Cat. Pl. Cub. 220. 1866. Serenoa arborescens Sargent, Bot. Gaz. 27: 90. 1989. Paurotis androsana O. F. Cook, Mem. Torr. Club, 12: 22. 1902. Acoelorraphe Wrightii ( Griseb. & Wendl.) Wendl.: Beccari, Webbia 2: 109. 1907. Acoelorraphe arborescens ( Sargent) Beccari, Webbia 2: 109 and 113. 1907. Although all our palms have striking gross characters, yet most of them are otherwise neither particularly noteworthy nor exceptionally striking beyond a horizontal or erect stem with a crown of fan- shaped or feather- shaped leaves at the growing end. However, two of our palms have prominent characters all their own. The needle- palm ( Rhapidophyllum Hystrix) is furnished with myriads of long firm needles con- 70 stituting an armament which fallen into would inflict uncomfortable, if not serious, consequences. Although the subject of this paper is armed to the extent of prickles on the petioles, its most striking characteristic is its mode of growth. A single stem becomes a colony which sends up, from a subterranean stem- system, secondary stems ( branches), in the case of well- developed plants, in such numbers and so closely placed as to form an impassable stockade. JOHN K. SMALL BLACK DUCKS IN NESTING TIME. Early in April, several pairs of ducks, including the black, mallard and wood duck, began looking over the grounds of the Botanical Garden for suitable nesting sites. A miniature island, some six or eight feet from shore in the water- arum pond, with only a few square feet of surface exposed and well covered with brush, except in the middle, seemed to be the most attractive spot to be found by both black ducks and mallards. The black ducks were first on the premises to begin their home- building and by April 19th a bird had her nest completed and was quietly setting, while her mate could usually be seen leisurely floating on the water near by. Some days later a pair of mallards appeared and the female began building a nest close to that of the black duck's but at a trifle lower elevation. She evidently was not well satisfied with such crowded quarters or possibly the ground was a bit too low or wet, for after placing a few sticks and leaves she soon flew away to be seen no more about the place. Not so with her partner, however. He apparently liked the situation and was not inclined to give it up so readily, loitering about for some days. By April 24th he had driven the black drake away and began closely guarding the nest of the black duck, often squatting on the island within a foot or two of the setting bird or swimming close by. At first the black duck resented this intrusion of the mallard into her domestic affairs, pecking at him when he approached too near, but she soon seemed to become reconciled to the situation and a little later the mallard proved a quite valiant 7i defender of her home. Everything seemed to go on quietly until May 14th, when some careless and lawless individual brought a hunting dog into the park, allowing the animal to rove at will. The dog was not long in discovering the mallard and lost no time in plunging into the pond after the bird. However he seems to have more than met his match in the water, for the wise old mallard just kept a little ahead of his pursuer, flying a few yards when too closely pursued and leading the dog back and forth, but always away from the nest, and keeping these tactics up for ten or fifteen minutes before the dog could be called off by his master or driven away by interested spectators. After this life and death struggle, affairs again resumed their previous quietness, the setting bird rarely leaving her nest and the mallard almost always in sight only a few feet away. As the time for hatching approached the nesting bird remained quite motionless for hours at a time, her head bent over and resting on her back, the bdl more or less hidden among the feathers and eyes closed, seeming to pay no attention to observers quite near by. On the morning of May 18th, just a month from the time the bird was first observed setting, at least six of the nine eggs constituting the set were hatched and by noon certainly all the birds were out. Early in the morning as many as there young could be seen at a time peeping out from the breast feathers of the mother and gazing at the world about them. Soon one of these, more venturesome than the others, came out' fully into view and began walking around the edge of the nest, when, apparently by accident, it fell clumsily over the rim to the ground below, only a matter of six or eight inches, to be immediately followed by two others, not accidentally this time, however, and thus all three began their wanderings into space from the confining walls of a few hours before. The young birds looked about, began inspecting and picking at everything within reach and soon two were at the water's edge, which they looked at, touched with their bills and soon after scrambled readily back onto the nest again, the mother meantime making no noise, but being very much alert to everything going on. Soon matters quieted down, the young all taking a rest after their first experience in the open. A few hours after and somewhere near noon, whollv unobserved so far as the writer knows, the duck left the nest, led all her young into the water and across a narrow strip of land to the lily- pond, where she and her brood were seen for the last time in the Botanical Garden. Possibly the black ducks were from the Zoological Park and the old bird went down the Bronx River with her brood to well known feeding grounds. The mallard in the case, although not seen just before or while the young were hatching, rather singularly reappeared a day after the nest was deserted by the family and could be seen sitting on or swimming near the nest for several days following. Just what his feelings were it is hard to imagine. Was he resting up after so much guard- duty, mourning over a deserted home or only taking a siesta amid quiet surroundings? — R. S. W. THE IRIS SOCIETY EXHIBITION The third annual exhibition of the American Iris SocitLy was held at the Garden May 27 and 28, in cooperation with the New York Botanical Garden and the Horticultural Society of New York. The unusally early spring necessitated the advance of the date by one week, and even then the irises of New Jersey and Pennsylvania were beyond their prime. Nevertheless, . there was an excellent display which attracted large numbers of interested visitors. The annual meeting of the Iris Society was held May 27 at the mansion, following a lunch for the members. Chief interest at the meeting was centered on the test garden, which was later inspected by the Society. This large and growing collection, established by the Society and the Garden jointly in 1920, now contains approximately 800 varieties of tall bearded iris, and most of them were infull bloom. Practically all the old standard varieties are represented in the collection, as well as many of the newer introductions. It is the intention of the Iris Society to make the collection as complete as possible, so that it will serve as a living catalog for the guidance of interested persons. Blooming just after the tulips and before the roses, the irises now form one of the leading floral features of the Garden and 73 add greatly to the attractiveness of the horticultural grounds. The new peony collection has been established near them, and the two will soon supplement each other. — H. A. G. THE FRANCIS LYNDE STETSON FUND The will of the late Mr. Francis Lynde Stetson, who was a member of the Board of Managers of the New York Botanical Garden from 1908 until his death in 1920, and a Vice- President since 1914, provides a legacy of $ 25,000 for the purposes of the Garden, which was paid over by his executors toward the close of 1921. The following action was taken by the Managers at their meeting on April 20, 1922: RESOLVED: that the bequest of $ 25,000, received from the estate of the late Mr. Francis Lynde Stetson, be and hereby is designated the FRANCIS LYNDE STETSON FUND, and that its income be applied to such purposes as may be voted by the Board of Managers from time to time. An appropriation of $ 1,000 from the income of the Francis Lynde Stetson Fund for the year 1922 was made for the purchase of books. CONFERENCE NOTES FOR APRIL. The April Conference of the Scientific Staff and Registered students of the Garden was held in the museum building, Wednesday, April 5th. Dr. H. A. Gleason spoke on " The Relation of Species to Area." He pointed out that the natural tendency of plants is to migrate in all directions as far as the environment permits, and that this process ultimately produces a uniform mixture of species in the plant association. Each quadrat in such an association contains about the same number of species, the number being 74 regulated by the richness of the flora, the size of the plants, and the size of the quadrat. If quadrats of larger size are examined, the number of species is found to be larger, but the increase is not directly proportional to the increase of area. The more uniform the flora, the slower will be this rate of increase in the larger quadrats. If the relation of species and area is plotted, using areas as abscissas and species as ordinates, the result is a curve, somewhat resembling a hyperbola in shape. But if, instead of the area, the logarithm of the area is used as the abscissa, the result becomes practically a straight line, by the extension of which the number of species in larger areas may be estimated directly. A full discussion of the relation of species and area will appear in an early number of Ecology. In a brief discussion of some of the taxonomic problems in monographing the Caprifoliaceae, Mr. C. C. Glover pointed out the lack of characteristics for distinguishing many of the species which have been dsecribed, and cited Symporicarpos rotundifolius, S. vaccinioides, 5. oreophilus, S. tetonensis, S. utahensis, Viburnum cassianoides and V. nudum as examples. In contrast to these doubtful species he showed how perfectly some of the other closely related species could be separated, and gave as an illustration the three maple- leaved viburnums wherein V. acerifolium has stellate hair clusters; V. pauciflorum has long coarse irregularly bent cotton- like hairs; and V. opulus either has simple short straight hairs or is entirely glabrous. A. B. STOUT Secretary of the Conference NOTES NEWS AND COMMENTS A joint meeting of the Torrey Botanical Club, Wild Flower Preservation Society of America, and New York Bird and Tree Club was held at the Garden on Wednesday, April twenty- sixth. The day was exceptionally fine and about one hundred people were present. In the forenoon, excursions were made through the grounds to study birds, trees, and flowers under the direction of Dr. Fisher, Dr. Southwick, Mr. Wilson, and others. Lunch was eaten in the mansion at one o'clock, after which Dr. Wherry gave an illustrated lecture on " Woodland Wild Flowers," followed by Dr. Denslow and Mr. Lownes on " Our Local Orchids." Specimens and illustrations of orchids and other wild flowers were on exhibit. The Inkowa Club of New York City, established for the promotion of out- of- door life, held a field- day at the Garden on April 23, visiting many parts of the grounds and the buildings under the guidance of a member of the Garden staff. Beginning at the court of conservatory range I, where the early tulips were in splendid flower, they first inspected the tropical houses, conifer collection, herbaceous garden, rock garden, hemlock grove, and the mansion, where they had their luncheon. In the afternoon, they visited Long Lake, the propagating houses, conservatory range 2, the Japanese cherry orchard, the meadows of the Bronx River, the shrub collection, and the museum building, where they examined the collections and attended a lecture by Miss Hilda Loines on " English Flower Gardens." Much interest was shown by the members of the Club in the geology and history of the rocks, trees, and other natural features of the Garden reservation. Miss Angelique Rivollier, Activities Director, was in charge of the excursion. Volume 6, part 1, of North American Flora consists of a monograph of the genus Phyllosticta by Fred J. Seaver. The work is largely a compilation of the species described and reported for North America, i. e. no attempt has been made to culture out the species in order to determine their life histories, although the gross morphology has been studied as carefully as the available material will permit. Wherever the perfect stage is known it has been indicated in a note supplementary to the descriptions. In order to comply with the form, a key has been arranged. On account of the difficulty, however, of constructing a satisfactory key for such a large genus in which the specific differences are so slight, the general rule for North American Flora has been modified and a host index supplied for the genus. An attempt has been made to correct host determinations where 76 material is adequate but unfortunately many of the specimens are so fragmentary that it has been necessary to accept the host determinations made by the collector. The entire work consists of 84 pages of text and was issued early in April. Perfect fruiting specimens of Buxbaumia aphylla L., a rather rare and very interesting moss with large, peculiar capsules, were found by Dr. Murrill at Yama Farms, in the southern Catskills, on May 9, growing in sandy soil beside a path on a rocky hillside in thin, oak- chestnut woods. This species was found many years ago on decayed wood in the hemlock grove by Mr. Williams, who published a brief article on the three American species of the genus in the first volume of the Journal. The soil at the Yama Farms locality was carefully examined under a lens and no decayed wood was found in or near it. Over 300 biology pupils from Evander Childs High School visited the Garden on May 22 and were shown through the conservatories and around the grounds by several members of the Garden staff. After studying a number of the trees on the lawns, they assembled in the large lecture room for a talk on forestry, given by Mr. George T. Hastings. At the close of the lecture some time was devoted to a study of the collections in the economic museum. The Burroughs Nature Club of Newark, New Jersey, visited the Garden on the afternoon of May 20 to see the temperate and tropical collections of living ferns. Thirty or more members were present, including the newly elected president and vice-president. The excursion began at the rock garden and ended at conservatory range 2; with brief stops in the iris garden, hemlock grove, mansion, and deciduous arboretum. Mr. Oakes Ames published on April 5th, 1922, the seventh volume of his valued papers on orchids, and has continued his liberality to the Garden by sending a copy for our library, having previously sent the proceeding six volumes as published; the seventh contains eleven papers, covering a wide range of 77 studies of both American and Old World orchids. Several species new to science are described from specimens sent him from our herbarium. President J. A. Blaisdell of Pomona College, Claremont, California was a recent visitor at the Garden. He is interested in securing cooperation on some of the citrus problems of Southern California, Pomona College being located in the citrus belt. Professor H. M. Fitzpatrick of Cornell University spent several days at the Garden in May continuing his researches on certain groups of Ascomycetous fungi. Meteorology for April: The total precipitation for the month was 2.54 inches. The maximum temperatures recorded for each week were as follows: 750 on the 8th, 88° on the 10th, 720 on the 18th and 8o° on the 26th. The minimum temperatures were: 31" on the 3rd, 39° on the 16th, 380 on the 22nd and 32° on the 29th. Killing frosts occured in the first and last weeks of the month. A group of botanical students from Hunter College came to the Garden on April 27 to examine the orchid collection and to hear a talk by Dr. Gleason on this large and interesting family of plants. About seventy- five biological students from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula spent the afternoon at the Garden on April twenty- eight. They were shown through portions of the grounds and buildings by Mr. Wilson and other members of the Garden staff. Miss Helen Purdy, who is now assisting Dr. Murrill with the collections of the higher fungi, gave a brief account of her recent research in Copenhagen at an informal meeting of the Barnard Botanical Club, held at the home of Mrs. Boyle, Saturday, May 6th. This spring Dr. Stout is conducting important breeding work with about twenty species of the genus Lilium. 78 ACCESSIONS PLANTS AND SEEDS 3 plants of Citrus for conservatories ( given by Mrs. Grimes), i plant of Codiaeum ( given by Mr. Wm. H. Becker). 3 plants of crested begonia ( by exchange with Mr. W. A. Manda). io plants for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. of Agric). 2 plants for nurseries ( by exchange with College of Agric, Ithaca, N. Y.). 2 plants of Castalia " Attraction" ( by exchange with Missouri Bot. Gard.). i plant for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Dr. J. N. Rose), i plant of Sedum for conservatories ( by exchange with Prof. Thorne). 4 plants of Opuntia from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 7 cactus plants ( by exchange with Dept. of Agric. of Trinidad). 32 plants of Iris from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 1 packet of seed ( given by Mr. J. Hartling). 1 packet of seed ( given by Prof. Glover). 1 packet of Bactris utilis seed ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. Agric). 44 packets of seed ( by exchange with Central Experiment Station of Canada). I packet of seed ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. Agric). 1 packet of seed ( by exchange with College De La Salle, Habana). 91 packets of seed ( purchased). 2 plants for conservatories ( given by Mr. Edward W. Doherty). 3 plants of Oncidium for conservatories ( given by Miss Harriet J. Coxe). 537 plants for iris garden ( given by American Iris Society). 2 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. John C. Wister). 1 plant of Tinantia for conservatories ( given by Miss Lula Pace). 1 plant of Arbutus ( given by Mrs. Jean Kerr). 5 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. C. N. Wettengel). 2 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. J. M. Shull). 35 plants for conservatories ( given by Mr. Fisher). 33 plants from Porto Rico ( collected by Dr. N. L. Britton). 1 plant of Opuntia from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 17 plants from Brazil ( collected by Mr. P. H. Rolf). 25 plants of Areca lutescens ( given by Mr. E. Murray Brunner through Dr. N. L. Britton). 7 plants for arboretum ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. of Agric). 1 plant for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Mr. W. R. Maxon). 15 plants of Abutilon ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cambridge, England). 1 plant of Bougainvillea ( by exchange with Brooklyn Botanic Garden). 95 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with Storrs & Harrison Co.). 4 plants for conservatories ( by exchamge with Dr. E. J. Palmer). 9 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with Dr. E. T. Wherry). 79 5 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Dr. J. N. Rose). 6 plants for decorative planting ( purchased). II plants for collections ( purchased). I plant ( raised from seed). i packet of seed ( given by Mrs. N. L. Britton). 9 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cambridge, England). 43 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland). 58 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Bonn, Germany). 60 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cernauti, Transylvania). 19 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cluj, Roumania), 26 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Groningue, Holland), LIBRARY, FROM JAN. i- APRIL 30 Archivos do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. Vols. 1- 3, 10. Rio de Janeiro, 1876- 99 ( given by t h e Museu Nacional de Rio de Janeiro). CANNON, WILLIAM AUSTIN. Plant habits and habitates in the arid portions of South Australia. Washington, 1921 ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). Catalogue of the library of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Cambridge, 1918. CLARK, GEORGE HAROLD, & MALTE, MALTE OSCAR. Fodder and pasture. plants. Ottawa, 1913 ( given by Dr. P. A. Rydberg). CLEMENTS, FREDERIC EDWARD. A eration and air- content. Washington, 1921. ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). EVELYN, JOHN. The French gardiner. Ed. 3. London, 1672. GRABAU, AMADEUS WILLIAM. A textbook of geology. * vols. Boston, C 1920. HALL, HARVEY MONROE, & LONG, FRANCES LOUISE. Rubber- content of North American Plants. Washington, 1921 ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). HERRERA, FORTUNATO L. ContributiSn a la flora del Departmento del Cuzco, Primera parte, Ed. 2. Cuzco, 1921 ( given by the Torrey Botanical Club). HOTTES, ALFRED CARL. Practical plant propagation. Ed. 2. New York, 1922. Index Kewensis. Supplementum quintum. Oxonii, 1921. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Vols. 7- 12. Plymouth, 1904- 21 ( by exchange). KROK, THORGNY OSSIAN BOLIVAR NAPOLEON, & ALMQUIST, SIGFRID OSKAR IMMANUEL. Svensk flora for skolor. Vol. 2. Kryptomgamer. Ed. 3. Stockholm, 1907 ( given by Dr. W. A. Murrill). MCILVAINE, CHARLES, & MACADAM, ROBERT K. One thousand American fungi. Ed. 3. Indianapolis, [ 1911] OLIVER, GEORGE WATSON & HOTTES, ALFRED CARL. Plant culture. Ed. 4. New York, 1921. 8o PASCHER, ADOLF A. Die Siisswasser- Flora Deutschlands, Osterreicks und der Schweiz, ed. Heft 7. Chlorophyceae 4. Jena, 1921. SARGENT, CHARLES SPRAGUE. Manual of the trees of North American. Ed. 2. Boston, 1922. SMYTHE, WILLIAM E. City homes on country lanes. New York, 1921 ( given by Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack). STOUT, ARLOW BURDETTE. Gardening. Yonkers- on- Hudson, 1922 ( given by the author). STOUT, HENRIETTA MARIA ( SCHROEDER). The amateur's book of the dahlia. Garden City, 1922. WERNHAM, HERBERT FULLER. A monograph of the genus Sabicea. London, 1914. Members of the Corporation Dr. Robert Abbe Fritz Achelis Edward D. Adams Charles B. Alexander Vincent Astor John W. Auchincloss George F. Baker Stephen Baker Henry de Forest Baldwin Edmund L. Baylies Prof. Charles P. Berkey Eugene P. Bicknell C. K. G. Billings George Blumenthal George S. Brewster Prof. N. L. Britton Prof. Edw. S. Burgess Dr. Nicholas M. Butler Prof. W. H. Carpenter Prof. C. F. Chandler Hon. W. A. Clark C. A. Coffin Marin Le Brun Cooper Paul D. Cravath James W. Cromwell Charles Deering Rev. Dr. H. M. Denslow Cleveland H. Dodge Samuel W. Fairchild William B. O. Field James B. Ford Henry W. De Forest Robert W. De Forest Prof. W. J. Gies Daniel Guggenheim Murry Guggenheim J. Horace Harding J. Montgomery Hare Edward S. Harkness Prof. R. A. Harper J. Amory Haskell T. A. Havemeyer A. Heckscher Joseph P. Hennessey Bernhard Hoffmann Archer M. Huntington Adrian Iselin Dr. Walter B. James Walter B. Jennings Otto H. Kahn Prof. James F. Kemp Darwin P. Kingsley Edw. V. Z. Lane Dr. Albert R. Ledoux Prof. Frederic S. Lee Adolph Lewisohn Kenneth K. Mackenzie V. Everit Macy Edgar L. Marston W. J. Matheson George McAneny Dr. Walter Mendelson John L. Merrill Ogden Mills Hon. Ogden L. Mills Barrington Moore J. Pierpont Morgan Dr. Lewis R. Morris Frederic R. Newbold C. D. Norton Eben E. Olcott Prof. Henry F. Osborn Chas. Lathrop Pack Henry Phipps F. R. Pierson James R. Pitcher Ira A. Place Hon. Anning S. Prall Charles F. Rand Ogden Mills Reid Prof. H. M. Richards John D. Rockefeller W. Emlen Roosevelt Prof. H. H. Rusby Dr. Reginald H. Sayre Mortimer L. Schiff Albert R. Shattuck Henry A. Siebrecht William Sloane Valentine P. Snyder Louis C. Tiffany Felix M. Warburg Paul M. Warburg Allen Wardwell H. H. Westinghouse Bronson Winthrop James Speyer Frederick Strauss F. K. Sturgis B. B. Thayer Charles G. Thompson W. Boyce Thompson Dr. W. Gilman Thompson Grenville L. Winthrop Members of the Women's Auxiliary Mrs. George A. Armour Mrs. Robert Bacon Miss Elizabeth Billings Mrs. N. L. Britton Mrs. Andrew Carnegie Mrs. Charles D. Dickey Mrs. A. Barton Hepburn Mrs. Robert C. Hill Mrs. Walter Jennings Mrs. Bradish Johnson Mrs. Delancey Kane Mrs. Hamilton F. Kean Mrs. Gustav E. Kissel Mrs. A. A. Low Mrs. V. Everit Macy Mrs. Henry Marquand Mrs. George W. Perkins Mrs. George D. Pratt Mrs. Harold I. Pratt Mrs. William A. Read Mrs. James Roosevelt Mrs. Benson B. Sloan Mrs. Theron G. Strong Mrs. Edw. T. H. Talmage Mrs. Henry O. Taylor Mrs. W. G. Thompson Mrs. Cabot Ward Honorary Members of the Women's Auxiliary Mrs. E. Henry Harriman Mrs. John I. Kane Mrs. Jas. A. Scrymser Miss Olivia E. P. Stokes Mrs. F. F. Thompson P U B L I C A T I O N S OF The New York Botanical Garden Journal of the New York Botanical Garden, monthly, illustrated, contain, ing notes, news, and non- technical articles of general interest. Free to all members of the Garden. To others, io cents a copy; $ 1.00 a year. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its twenty- third volume. Mycologia, bimonthly, illustrated in color and otherwise; devoted to fungi, including lichens; containing technical articles and news and notes of general interest, and an index to current American mycological literature. $ 4.00 a year; single copies not for sale. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its fourteenth volume. Addisonia, quarterly, devoted exclusively to colored plates accompanied by popular descriptions of flowering plants; eight plates in each number, thirty-two in each volume. Subscription price, $ 10.00 a year. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its seventh volume. Bulletin of the Kew York Botanical Garden, containing the annual reports ef the Director- in- Chief and other official documents, and technical articles embodying results of investigations carried out in the Garden. Free to all members of the Garden; to others, $ 3.00 per volume. Now in its eleventh volume. North American Flora. Descriptions of the wild plants of North America, including Greenland, the West Indies, and Central America. Planned to be completed in 34 volumes. Roy. 8vo. Each volume to consist of four or more parts. Subscription price, $ 1.50 per part; a limited number of separate parts will be sold for $ 2.00 each. [ Not offered in exchange.] Vol. 3, part 1, 1910. Nectriaceae— Fimetariaceae. Vol. 7, part I, 1906; part 2, 1907, part 3, 1912; part 4, 1920; part 5, 1920; part 6, 1921. Ustilaginaceae— Aecidiaceae ( pars). ( Parts I and 2 no longer sold separately.) Vol. 9 ( now complete), parts 1- 7, 1907- 1916. Polyporaceae— Agaricaceae ( pars). ( Parts 1- 3 no longer sold separately.) Vol. 10, part 1, 1914; parts 2 and 3, 1917. Agaricaceae ( pars). Vol. 15, parts I and 2, 1913. Sphagnaceae— Leucobryaceae. Vol. 16, part 1, 1909. Ophioglossaceae— Cyatheaceae ( pars). Vol. 17, part I, 1909; part 2, 1912; part 3, 1915. Typhaceae— Poaceae ( pars). Vol. 21, part I, 1916; part 2, 1917; part 3, 1918. Chenopodiaceae— Atlio-niaceae. Vol. 22, parts I and 2, 1905; parts 3 and 4, 1908; part 5, 1913; part 6, 1918. Podostemonaceae— Rosaceae. Vol. 24, part I, 1919; part 2, 1920. Fabaceae ( pars.) Vol. 25, part 1,1907; part 2,1920; part 3, 1911. Geraniaceae— Burseraceae. Vol. 29, part I, 1914. Clethraceae— Ericaceae. Vol. 32, part 1, 1918. Rubiaceae ( pars). Vol. 34, part I, 1914; part 2, 1915; part 3, 1916. Carduaceae— Anthem-ideae. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. Price to members of the Garden, £ 1.50 per volume. To others, $ 3.00. [ Not offered in exchange.] Vol. I. An Annotated Catalogue of the Flora of Montana and the Yellowstone Park, by Per Axel Rydberg. ix + 492 pp., with detailed map. 1900. Vol. II. The Influence of Light and Darkness upon Growth and Development, by D. T. MacDougal. xvi + 320 pp., with 176 figures. 1903. Vol. III. Studies of Cretaceous Coniferous Remains from Kreischerville, New York, by A. Hollick and E. C. Jeffrey. viii+ 138 pp., with 29 plates. 1909. Vol. IV. Effects of the Rays of Radium on Plants, by Charles Stuart Gager. viii + 278 pp., with 73 figures and 14 plates. 1908. Vol. V. Flora of the Vicinity of New York: A Contribution to Plant Geography, by Norman Taylor, vi + 683 pp., with 9 plates. 1915. Vol. VI. Papers presented at the Celebration of theTwentieth Anniversary of the New York Botanical Garden, viii + 592 pp., with 43 plates and many text figures. 1916. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden. A series of technical papers written by students or members of the staff, and reprinted from Journals other than the above. Price, 25 cents each. $ 5.00 per volume. a the tenth volume. NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN Bronx Park, New York City
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Contributor | New York Botanical Garden |
Date | 1922-05; 1922-06 |
Description-Table Of Contents | The Saw-Cabbage Palm; Black Ducks in Nesting Time; The Iris Society Exhibition; The Francis Lynde Stetson Fund; Conference Notes for April; Notes, News and Comment; Accessions. |
Format | application/pdf |
Format-Extent | 51 v. : ill. ; 25 cm |
Identifier | 0885-4165 |
Language | eng |
Publisher | Bronx : New York Botanical Garden, 1900-1950 |
Relation-Is Part Of | Journal of the New York Botanical Garden : v. 1, no. 1-v. 51, no. 612 |
Relation-IsVersionOfURI | http://opac.nybg.org/record=b1104879 |
Rights | http://www.nybg.org/library/ |
Subject | Plants--Periodicals; Gardening--Periodicals; Plants, Cultivated--Periodicals; New York Botanical Garden--Periodicals. |
Title | Journal of the New York Botanical Garden |
Volume, Number | Vol. 23, no. 269; Vol. 23, no. 270 |
Type | text |
Transcript | Vol. XXIII May- June, 1922 No. 269- 270 JOURNAL OF The New York Botanical Garden EDITOR R. S. WILLIAMS Administrative Assistant CONTENTS PAGE The Saw- Cabbage Palm 61 Black Ducks in Nesting Time 70 The Iris Society Exhibition 72 The Francis Lynde Stetson Fund 73 Conference Notes for April 73 Notes, News and Comments 74 Accessions 78 PRICE f I. OO A YEAR; IO CENTS A COPV PUBLISHED FOR THE GARDEN A I 8 WEST KING STREET. LANCASTER, PA INTELLIGENCER PRINTING COMPANY O F K I C B R S , 1922 PRESIDENT— W. GILMAN THOMPSON f HENRY W. DeFOREST VICE- PRESIDENTS j F R E D E R I C S. LEE TREASURER— JOHN L. MERRILL ASSISTANT TREASURER— HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE SECRETARY— N. L. BRITTON 1. ELECTED MANAGERS Term expires January, 1923 EDWARD D. ADAMS JOHN L. MERRILL ROBERT W. De FOREST J. P. MORGAN DANIEL GUGGENHEIM F. K. STURGIS Term expires January, 1924 N. L. BRITTON LEWIS RUTHERFURD MORRIS HENRY W. De FOREST FREDERIC R. NEWBOLD W. J. MATHESON W. GILMAN THOMPSON Term expires January, 1925 HENRY De FOREST BALDWIN ADOLPH LEWISOHN PAUL D. CRAVATH BARRINGTON MOORE JOSEPH P. HENNESSEY WILLIAM BOYCE THOMPSON 2. EX- OFFICIO MANAGERS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK HON. JOHN F. HYLAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS HON. FRANCIS DAWSON GALLATIN 3. SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS PROF. R. A. HARPER, Chairman EUGENE P. BICKNELL PROF. FREDERIC S. LEE DR. NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER HON. GEORGE J. RYAN PROF. WILLIAM J. GIES PROF. HERBERT M. RICHARDS PROF. JAMES F. KEMP PROF. HENRY H. RUSBY G A R D E N S T A F F DR. N. L. BRITTON, Director- in- Chief ( Development, Administration) DR. H. A. GLEASON, Assistant Director ( Administration) DR. JOHN K. SMALL, Head Curator of the Museums ( Flowering Plants) DR. W. A. MURRILL, Supervisor of Public Instruction DR. P. A. RYDBERG, Curator ( Flowering Plants) DR. MARSHALL A. HOWE, Curator ( Flowerless Plants) DR. FRED J. SEAVER, Curator ( Flowerless Plants) ROBERT S. WILLIAMS, Administrative Assistant PERCY WILSON, Associate Curator JAMES A. CRAWFORD, Associate Curator DR. A. B. STOUT, Director of the Laboratories DR. JOHN HENDLEY BARNHART, Bibliographer KENNETH R. BOYNTON, Head Gardener SARAH H. HARLOW, Librarian DR H. H. RUSBY, Honorary Curator of the Economic Collections ELIZABETH G. BRITTON, Honorary Curator of Mosses DR. ARTHUR HOLLICK, Paleobotanist Dr- H. M. DENSLOW, Honorary Custodian COL. F. A. SCHILLING, Museum Custodian JOHN R. BRINLEY, Landscape Engineer WALTER S. GROESBECK, Clerk and Accountant ARTHUR J. CORBETT, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN PLATE 271 ' JBB « ^ R3 ^ vSw KKPFV ' isHH sRjKm ^ fc^$ ffi\ MEBBKwKSm * k * 4 ^ B H H | pJ/^ EJtHiB i^& jMwaBWMB 3 ll KFVy ? , tfc^^ K W^ Hsi K^ 3K 1^ 1 ^ SH Si i^ WBfiti Sira illiily ISS^ HHM - ^ JSSUUSF - vl> ^' ^ K l ^ f E r ^# 880 P « l | iJi ' iBRW ffc"^ fe^^ i RS^ EEH ft. Wt^ Rl^^ l R U m t M M ; ^ H I E 9 • HBBIPA.^ EB • HHHBHEHEUK'^*' *^^ H HPMB^^^ SBB % < ^ yf-^ at V | l| t; w$- PSST*'" » i^ v* HHi H? 9 On shore of Cuthbert Lake, southern end of the Florida peninsula.— A small colony of the saw- cabbage palm in a hammock. The several stems — really branches— arise from a branching rootstock or main stem system. The erect stems resemble stout fishing poles. They are light and very fibrous, and thus being pliable and well anchored in the ground the colony is able to successfully resist the fiercest hurricanes. JOURNAL OF The New York Botanical Garden VOL. XXIII May- June, 1922 No. 269- 270 THE SAW- CABBAGE PALM THE HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PAUROTIS WRIGHTIL With Plates 271— 27J. Palms have always been interesting, even fascinating plants; and although they may be readily recognized even by those with the least technical knowledge concerning them, they are, nevertheless, of a vast variety. The United States is merely on the northern edge of the geographic range of the palms of the New World. Yet, south of the latitude of Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic coast and the San Bernardino district in California— the northern outposts of the American palm habitats— not less than fourteen well marked species of the palm family grow naturally. They largely prefer the lowlands. Some of these species are widely distributed geographically; others are restricted to quite limited areas; but none have altitudinal distribution beyond a few hundred feet. They favor the east. One species alone occurs naturally on the Pacific side of the continent, while the other thirteen, except two species, are restricted in their distribution to the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain. Among these the blue- stem ( Sabal Adansonii) and the needle- palm ( Rhapidophyllum Hystrix), range beyond the bounds of the Coastal Plain and extend their ranges a short distance into the Piedmont. Those species, in the Coastal Plain north of southern peninsular Florida, are more 61 62 or less associated with other palms, such as the cabbage- tree ( Sabal Palmetto), the scrub- palmetto ( Sabal Etonia), and the saw- palmetto ( Serenoa repens'). In southern Florida seven other palms occur. Some of them have been well known there for many years, while the discovery of others has been comparatively recent. The latest palm to be discovered in Florida— Paurotis Wrightii, sometimes popularly known as the saw- cabbage palm — is one of our more interesting and rarer palms. Closely associated with the lower parts of the Lossman ' s River limestone of the Ten Thousand Islands, the Cape Sable Region, and the extreme southern end of the Florida peninsula, it occurs in the least accessible parts of the State. And this is perhaps why, although thirty years had elapsed since its discovery on the North American mainland, it was until quite recently so utterly misinterpreted. In May, 1887, Pliny Ward Reasoner2 during a short vacation trip along the lower western coast of Florida, by boat, discovered the palm under discussion in the royal palm region or district of the Cape Romano region. Neither flowers nor fruits were then secured. In the fall of the following year, shortly after the death of Pliny Reasoner, his brother, E. N. Reasoner3, made a pilgrimage SERENOA REPENS ( Bartram) Corypha repens Bartram, " frondibus expansis, flabelliformibus, plicatL, stipit. spinosis." Chamaerops serrulata Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 206. 1803. Serenoa serrulata Hook; Benth. & Hook, Gen. Pl. 3: 926. 1888. 2Pliny Ward Reasoner was born May 6, 1863, at Princeton, Illinois, where he received his education and at an early age became interested in botany and horticulture. About 1883 he went to Florida, establishing the Royal Palm Nurseries at Oneco, and in 1885 formed a partnership with his brother, E. N. Reasoner, under the name of Reasoner Bros. He was horticultural superintendent in charge of the subtropical exposition at Jacksonville, 1887- 88, and one of the three Florida commissioners to the Atlanta exposition of 1888; and he was becoming widely known as a cultivator of tropical and subtropical plants and a contributor to horticultural literature when an attack of yellow fever suddenly terminated his career, at the early age of twenty- five. He died at Manatee, Florida, September 17, 1888. — John Hendley Barnhart. * Egbert Norman Reasoner was born at Princeton, Illinois, May 24, 1869. 63 to the region just referred to above, where he secured seeds of this same palm and also a few plants; but it was not until a decade later ( 1898) that the requisite flowers and fruits were forthcoming. These were found near the source of the Cho-koloskee River, as will be seen by subsequent quotations. Specimens were later sent to Charles S. Sargent1 at the Arnold Arboretum, and he then associated them with the genus Serenoa, and described the palm as Serenoa arborescens. Professor Sargent, in a note accompanying the original description2, said: " This second species of Serenoa differs from the type of the genus, the well- known saw palmetto of the southern states, in its arborescent habit, more elongated spadix, much smaller flowers, and smaller globose fruit and seeds, and is certainly a most interesting addition to the trees of the United States. The existence of an undescribed palm on the Chockoloskee river was known to me as long ago as 1887, when it was discovered without flowers and fruit in the Royal Palm Hummock, not far from the town of Everglade, by the late P. W. Reasoner, of Oneco, Florida; but it was not until the past season that I obtained the flowers and fruit from Mr. R. G. Corbitt of Immockalee, Florida, who has found this palm growing abundantly in the swamps about thirty miles southeast of Lake Trafford, near the head of the Chockoloskee. In December 1898, seeds of Serenoa arborescens were distributed from the Arnold Arboretum as " New palm from the Florida everglades." Neither of the geographical designations for the original locality of this palm are correct, in other words Serenoa arborescens was not discovered near the Chokoloskee River nor in He joined his brother, Pliny Ward Reasoner, in Florida, in the fall of 1885, and although his brother died only three years later the firm name of Reasoner Brothers has continued in use until the present time. He has done much collecting of seeds and living plants in tropical Florida, has traveled widely in the United States, Europe, and the West Indies, and has contributed to Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Horticulture and Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture.— J. H. Barnhart. 1 See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden S3: 33- 43- 1922- ' Botanical Gazette 27: 92. 1899. 64 the Royal Palm Hammock; but was first collected in a " point of cypress" several miles northwest of the headwaters of Allen River, a locality midway between the two stations cited above which are twenty odd miles distant from each other. The type locality was visited by the writer in the spring of 1921. It is true that there were three royal- palms growing in this point of cypress at the time of the discovery of the " Serenoa", but it was in no sense the Royal Palm Hammock which is far to the westward and back of Marco. These three royal palms were killed in the " freezes" of 1894 and 1895, which occurred only six weeks apart. Parts of the column- like trunks of the royal palms are still standing, but the species ( Roystonea regia) is now extinct there and it is not likely it will be reestablished through natural agencies. The geographic range and the number of individuals of the royal palm in Florida have evidently been shrinking for many years as a result of destructive natural agencies. In connection with the description in the Silva1, published three years later, where the palm was also figured, Professor Sargent says: " At the time of its discovery neither flowers nor fruit were collected, but in October, 1888, Mr. E. N. Reasoner visited the Chockoliskee River and obtained a few seeds, a stem for the Jesup Collection of North American Woods in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and a few small plants. One of these has been grown in my Garden in Brookline, Massachusetts, and is now about eight feet high. In the spring of 1898 Dr. Robert Ridgway, the distinguished ornithologist, informed me that his guide on a recent journey which he had made to the southeast of Fort Myers on the Caloosahatchee River, Mr. R. G. Corbitt of Immockalee, had told him of a tall slender Palm in the Cypress swamps thirty or forty miles to the southeast of Lake Trafford and near the head of the Chockoliskee; and through Mr. Corbitt I obtained in 1898 leaves, flowers, and ripe fruits of this interesting Palm, which proved identical with the one discovered by Mr. Reasoner, and a second species of Serenoa." 1 Silva of North America 17: 77. pl. 734. 1902. it* 65 In a later paper1 on the genus, Sargent gives a further note a the geographic distribution of the species in question, which : as by that time transferred to the genus Acoelorraphe. It reads: " An additional station for Acoelorraphe arborescens is at the ead of East River, White Water Bay, where it was collected y A. A. Eaton on March 22, 1905, and by J. B. Ellis in June and ' ctober, 1908." Just twenty years after the discovery of Serenoa arborescens, 1 1907, John J. Soar and Marion Soar, while on a plant unting excursion, found their way into a large bay, apparently ill nameless, lying east of Maderia Bay at the southern end of le Florida peninsula, and north of Big Boggy. There they discovered a palm unknown to them. They irried home a piece about as large as one's arm and later planted on the bank of the Little River north of Miami. It was the Line as the plant discovered earlier by Mr. Reasoner. This irticular specimen has grown into a beautiful many- stemmed irub at least twenty feet tall. Interest was again awakened in Florida and West Indian palms lortly after the beginning of the present century. In 1902 O. F. 00k2 described a new genus with one species3 from specimens > llected on western Andros, Bahamas, by John I. and Alice R. orthrop. 4 When the Andros specimens came to light matters : came more interesting. It was seen that the Andros plant, dging from the specimens just referred to, was the same as opernicia Wrightii of Cuba. Soon after it became evident that ie Andros, Cubans, and Floridan plants represented not only le genus, but one species. The problem was taken up by Odoardo Beccari, 5 who re- 1 Trees and Shrubs 2: 118. 1911. 2 See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden : 33- 43- 1922. 3 Paurotis androsana O. F. Cook, Mem. Torrey Club 12: 22. 1902. ' See under " Bucaneer- palm," Journal of the New York Botanical Garden : 39. 1922. Mrs. Northrop lost her life at Mt. Riga, New York, near ; state lines of Massachusetts and Connecticut, May 6, 1922, when the tomobile in which she was riding was struck by a train. sOdoardo Beccari, born at Florence, Italy, November 19, 1843, was edu-ted at Lucca, Pisa, and Bologna. In early life, from 1865 to 1878, he ; nt much time in botanical exploration, visiting for that purpose Abyssinia, 66 surrected the unpublished generic name Acoelorraphe1 and published both the Cuban and the Floridan species under it2. Beccari records a slightly different version of the discovery of the flowers and the fruits in Florida. He says, the flowers were collected thirty miles southeast of Lake Trafford near the source of the Chokoloskee River in May, 1898, by R. G. Corbitt and t h a t the fruits were collected in Royal Palm Hammock in December 1898 by R. B. Storter. The original description of Serenoa arborescens and the plate subsequently printed in the Silva3 are, in themselves, sufficient to exclude the plant from the genus Serenoa, and had the author of Serenoa arborescens seen the palm growing in its native haunts he surely would not have associated it with t h a t genus. From the writer's experience with this palm he would consider the case of Serenoa arborescens versus Paurotis Wrightii an excellent example of indoor- botany versus field- botany. At any rate, Sargent accepted Beccari's treatment of the genus, at least as far as Florida is concerned, and published a synopsis of the two species there recognized, a description of Acoelorraphe Wrightii with a plate4. However, he is careful to make it clear t h a t he himself is not responsible for maintaining two species5, but throws the burden of proof on Beccari who has already attempted to distinguish them. 6 The writer, within the past few years, has had the good fortune to be able to penetrate into different parts of the area occupied by this palm in the Cape Sable region of Florida. India. Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Amboina, Papua, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1878 he was appointed director of the botanical garden and museum of his native city, but retired within a year or two, as director emeritus, to devote all of his attention to the study of his extensive collections. For many years he was recognized as the foremost student of the palms of the world. He died at Florence, October 25, 1920.— John Hendley Barnhart. 1 Referred to by Wendland in 1879, but not published. 2 Webbia 2: 107- 118. 1907. 3 C. S. Sargent, Silva of North America 14: pl. 714. 1902. 4 Trees and Shrubs 2: 117- 120. pl. 151. 1911. 6 Trees and Shrubs 2: 118. • Webbia 2: 107- 118. 1907. 67 He first encountered it in abundance in the hammocks bordering Cuthbert Lake1. En route to that very isolated locality he first saw small specimens of it along some of the arboreous tunnels, which must be traversed to reach the lake; but it was the higher ground about the lake that supported magnificent colonies of this palm. Those in shaded places with tall naked stems of nearly uniform height bore only a brush- like crown of leaves at the top; whereas the colonies in exposed situations had more copiously leafy stems and greater variety in length. These latter colonies thus present beautiful masses or banks of green foliage. The localities mentioned are within the influence of the tides of the Bay of Florida and the waters are strictly saline. The day following our introduction to this palm we again encountered it about Coot Bay, which is one of the multitudinous subdivisions of the so- called White Water Bay, which is largely a vast labyrinth of mangrove swamps and channels. It cuts off the Cape Sable region proper, a crescentic area of about one hundred and twenty- five square miles with Coot Bay forming its southeastern extremity and approaches to within about two miles of the Bay of Florida. Coot Bay, however receives its tidal influence not from the nearby Bay of Florida, but from the Gulf of Mexico, whose nearest inlets situated in the southern part of the Ten Thousand Islands, are about twenty miles distant in a direct line. Like the Cuthbert Lake region, the Coot Bay region is strictly saline, except for the varying rainfall which, of course, has little effect on the water supply of the vegetation. We next encountered this palm in Madeira Hammock, which surrounds Madeira Bay and is situated a little east of the middle of the lower end of the Florida peninsula. Here, at least in a given area, the growth is much more copious than at the two above mentioned localities. The growth of broad- leaved trees is not continuous along the • shore of Madeira Bay; but it is interrupted at several places by prairies that reach to the water's edge. They are southward extensions from the Everglades. 1 Journal of the New York Botanical Garden 17: 189- 202. 1916. The Cape Sable Region of Florida 1- 27. 1919. 68 At both Cuthbert Lake and Coot Bay the palm is largely hidden in the hammocks; but at Madeira Bay large colonies of. it may be seen while crossing the bay, both in the prairies and in the hammock, where the crowns of leaves are often conspicuous above the roof of the hammock. The stems of the colonies growing in the hammocks seem to be taller than those of the prairies. Perhaps this condition is brought about by the less frequent fires, and thus, in order to get more light, the crowns of necessity push themselves above the shade of the broad- leaved tree- tops. Their stems are very closely set, as well as numerous. The growth is often so dense that one cannot get through the stockade of stems. On the prairies the colonies are often swept by prairie fires. The first time we visited that locality the plants were in beautiful leafage and the prairie was densely clothed with tall grass. On our second visit the prairie was barren and the colonies of palms comprised blackened poles with stubs of charred petioles sticking out irregularly where the crown of leaves should have been. Of course, after a time, new leaves are developed, the blackened petioles are pushed off and the colonies again assume their normal condition. Madeira Bay and Coot Bay represent the southern limit of this palm in Florida. It has not yet been found on the Florida Keys. There is, however, a chance of finding it growing on some of the islands between Big Pine Key and Boca Chica Key. In our next experience with it we approached it from the opposite direction, that is, from the north. On the prairie about ten miles southwest of Royal Palm Hammock, Dade County, this plant appears to be perfectly at home under freshwater conditions instead of salt. It grows just as plentifully and as luxuriantly as- at the localities mentioned before. This fourth region is apparently not many miles distant from either Cuthbert Lake or Madeira Hammock. However, of the four localities it is the one where the palm shows to the best advantage, for the prairies are open and the hammocks are small, at least, relatively so, and scattered too. The isolated colonies and those raising their tops above the hammocks are visible for long distances over the prairies, and when in fruit > 69 the elongated spadices with numerous red or purple fruits constitute the most conspicuous element in the landscape. The visit to the type locality of Serenoa arborescens was made for the purpose of determining whether that palm was really distinct from Paurotis Wrightii ( Acoelorraphe Wrightii). • With the plants ( Acoelorraphe arborescens) of the Cape Romano region fresh in mind, we compared them with those of the Cuthbert Lake- Madeira Hammock region. The writer found that the only character that appeared worth while in Beccari's diagnosis-— that is, the lobing of the leaf- blade— failed utterly. The habit of the plants in all the regions is identical. As a means for future comparison, living specimens were taken from various regions, which really represent the extremes of the geographical range in Florida, and planted in the reservations of Mr. Charles Deering at Buena Vista and at Cutler. As all the Paurotis now known in Florida is referable to a single species, the synonymy would stand thus: Paurotis Wrightii ( Griseb. & Wendl.) Britton and Shafer, N. A. Trees 141. fig. 107. 1908. Copernicia Wrightii Griseb. & Wendl.; Griseb. Cat. Pl. Cub. 220. 1866. Serenoa arborescens Sargent, Bot. Gaz. 27: 90. 1989. Paurotis androsana O. F. Cook, Mem. Torr. Club, 12: 22. 1902. Acoelorraphe Wrightii ( Griseb. & Wendl.) Wendl.: Beccari, Webbia 2: 109. 1907. Acoelorraphe arborescens ( Sargent) Beccari, Webbia 2: 109 and 113. 1907. Although all our palms have striking gross characters, yet most of them are otherwise neither particularly noteworthy nor exceptionally striking beyond a horizontal or erect stem with a crown of fan- shaped or feather- shaped leaves at the growing end. However, two of our palms have prominent characters all their own. The needle- palm ( Rhapidophyllum Hystrix) is furnished with myriads of long firm needles con- 70 stituting an armament which fallen into would inflict uncomfortable, if not serious, consequences. Although the subject of this paper is armed to the extent of prickles on the petioles, its most striking characteristic is its mode of growth. A single stem becomes a colony which sends up, from a subterranean stem- system, secondary stems ( branches), in the case of well- developed plants, in such numbers and so closely placed as to form an impassable stockade. JOHN K. SMALL BLACK DUCKS IN NESTING TIME. Early in April, several pairs of ducks, including the black, mallard and wood duck, began looking over the grounds of the Botanical Garden for suitable nesting sites. A miniature island, some six or eight feet from shore in the water- arum pond, with only a few square feet of surface exposed and well covered with brush, except in the middle, seemed to be the most attractive spot to be found by both black ducks and mallards. The black ducks were first on the premises to begin their home- building and by April 19th a bird had her nest completed and was quietly setting, while her mate could usually be seen leisurely floating on the water near by. Some days later a pair of mallards appeared and the female began building a nest close to that of the black duck's but at a trifle lower elevation. She evidently was not well satisfied with such crowded quarters or possibly the ground was a bit too low or wet, for after placing a few sticks and leaves she soon flew away to be seen no more about the place. Not so with her partner, however. He apparently liked the situation and was not inclined to give it up so readily, loitering about for some days. By April 24th he had driven the black drake away and began closely guarding the nest of the black duck, often squatting on the island within a foot or two of the setting bird or swimming close by. At first the black duck resented this intrusion of the mallard into her domestic affairs, pecking at him when he approached too near, but she soon seemed to become reconciled to the situation and a little later the mallard proved a quite valiant 7i defender of her home. Everything seemed to go on quietly until May 14th, when some careless and lawless individual brought a hunting dog into the park, allowing the animal to rove at will. The dog was not long in discovering the mallard and lost no time in plunging into the pond after the bird. However he seems to have more than met his match in the water, for the wise old mallard just kept a little ahead of his pursuer, flying a few yards when too closely pursued and leading the dog back and forth, but always away from the nest, and keeping these tactics up for ten or fifteen minutes before the dog could be called off by his master or driven away by interested spectators. After this life and death struggle, affairs again resumed their previous quietness, the setting bird rarely leaving her nest and the mallard almost always in sight only a few feet away. As the time for hatching approached the nesting bird remained quite motionless for hours at a time, her head bent over and resting on her back, the bdl more or less hidden among the feathers and eyes closed, seeming to pay no attention to observers quite near by. On the morning of May 18th, just a month from the time the bird was first observed setting, at least six of the nine eggs constituting the set were hatched and by noon certainly all the birds were out. Early in the morning as many as there young could be seen at a time peeping out from the breast feathers of the mother and gazing at the world about them. Soon one of these, more venturesome than the others, came out' fully into view and began walking around the edge of the nest, when, apparently by accident, it fell clumsily over the rim to the ground below, only a matter of six or eight inches, to be immediately followed by two others, not accidentally this time, however, and thus all three began their wanderings into space from the confining walls of a few hours before. The young birds looked about, began inspecting and picking at everything within reach and soon two were at the water's edge, which they looked at, touched with their bills and soon after scrambled readily back onto the nest again, the mother meantime making no noise, but being very much alert to everything going on. Soon matters quieted down, the young all taking a rest after their first experience in the open. A few hours after and somewhere near noon, whollv unobserved so far as the writer knows, the duck left the nest, led all her young into the water and across a narrow strip of land to the lily- pond, where she and her brood were seen for the last time in the Botanical Garden. Possibly the black ducks were from the Zoological Park and the old bird went down the Bronx River with her brood to well known feeding grounds. The mallard in the case, although not seen just before or while the young were hatching, rather singularly reappeared a day after the nest was deserted by the family and could be seen sitting on or swimming near the nest for several days following. Just what his feelings were it is hard to imagine. Was he resting up after so much guard- duty, mourning over a deserted home or only taking a siesta amid quiet surroundings? — R. S. W. THE IRIS SOCIETY EXHIBITION The third annual exhibition of the American Iris SocitLy was held at the Garden May 27 and 28, in cooperation with the New York Botanical Garden and the Horticultural Society of New York. The unusally early spring necessitated the advance of the date by one week, and even then the irises of New Jersey and Pennsylvania were beyond their prime. Nevertheless, . there was an excellent display which attracted large numbers of interested visitors. The annual meeting of the Iris Society was held May 27 at the mansion, following a lunch for the members. Chief interest at the meeting was centered on the test garden, which was later inspected by the Society. This large and growing collection, established by the Society and the Garden jointly in 1920, now contains approximately 800 varieties of tall bearded iris, and most of them were infull bloom. Practically all the old standard varieties are represented in the collection, as well as many of the newer introductions. It is the intention of the Iris Society to make the collection as complete as possible, so that it will serve as a living catalog for the guidance of interested persons. Blooming just after the tulips and before the roses, the irises now form one of the leading floral features of the Garden and 73 add greatly to the attractiveness of the horticultural grounds. The new peony collection has been established near them, and the two will soon supplement each other. — H. A. G. THE FRANCIS LYNDE STETSON FUND The will of the late Mr. Francis Lynde Stetson, who was a member of the Board of Managers of the New York Botanical Garden from 1908 until his death in 1920, and a Vice- President since 1914, provides a legacy of $ 25,000 for the purposes of the Garden, which was paid over by his executors toward the close of 1921. The following action was taken by the Managers at their meeting on April 20, 1922: RESOLVED: that the bequest of $ 25,000, received from the estate of the late Mr. Francis Lynde Stetson, be and hereby is designated the FRANCIS LYNDE STETSON FUND, and that its income be applied to such purposes as may be voted by the Board of Managers from time to time. An appropriation of $ 1,000 from the income of the Francis Lynde Stetson Fund for the year 1922 was made for the purchase of books. CONFERENCE NOTES FOR APRIL. The April Conference of the Scientific Staff and Registered students of the Garden was held in the museum building, Wednesday, April 5th. Dr. H. A. Gleason spoke on " The Relation of Species to Area." He pointed out that the natural tendency of plants is to migrate in all directions as far as the environment permits, and that this process ultimately produces a uniform mixture of species in the plant association. Each quadrat in such an association contains about the same number of species, the number being 74 regulated by the richness of the flora, the size of the plants, and the size of the quadrat. If quadrats of larger size are examined, the number of species is found to be larger, but the increase is not directly proportional to the increase of area. The more uniform the flora, the slower will be this rate of increase in the larger quadrats. If the relation of species and area is plotted, using areas as abscissas and species as ordinates, the result is a curve, somewhat resembling a hyperbola in shape. But if, instead of the area, the logarithm of the area is used as the abscissa, the result becomes practically a straight line, by the extension of which the number of species in larger areas may be estimated directly. A full discussion of the relation of species and area will appear in an early number of Ecology. In a brief discussion of some of the taxonomic problems in monographing the Caprifoliaceae, Mr. C. C. Glover pointed out the lack of characteristics for distinguishing many of the species which have been dsecribed, and cited Symporicarpos rotundifolius, S. vaccinioides, 5. oreophilus, S. tetonensis, S. utahensis, Viburnum cassianoides and V. nudum as examples. In contrast to these doubtful species he showed how perfectly some of the other closely related species could be separated, and gave as an illustration the three maple- leaved viburnums wherein V. acerifolium has stellate hair clusters; V. pauciflorum has long coarse irregularly bent cotton- like hairs; and V. opulus either has simple short straight hairs or is entirely glabrous. A. B. STOUT Secretary of the Conference NOTES NEWS AND COMMENTS A joint meeting of the Torrey Botanical Club, Wild Flower Preservation Society of America, and New York Bird and Tree Club was held at the Garden on Wednesday, April twenty- sixth. The day was exceptionally fine and about one hundred people were present. In the forenoon, excursions were made through the grounds to study birds, trees, and flowers under the direction of Dr. Fisher, Dr. Southwick, Mr. Wilson, and others. Lunch was eaten in the mansion at one o'clock, after which Dr. Wherry gave an illustrated lecture on " Woodland Wild Flowers," followed by Dr. Denslow and Mr. Lownes on " Our Local Orchids." Specimens and illustrations of orchids and other wild flowers were on exhibit. The Inkowa Club of New York City, established for the promotion of out- of- door life, held a field- day at the Garden on April 23, visiting many parts of the grounds and the buildings under the guidance of a member of the Garden staff. Beginning at the court of conservatory range I, where the early tulips were in splendid flower, they first inspected the tropical houses, conifer collection, herbaceous garden, rock garden, hemlock grove, and the mansion, where they had their luncheon. In the afternoon, they visited Long Lake, the propagating houses, conservatory range 2, the Japanese cherry orchard, the meadows of the Bronx River, the shrub collection, and the museum building, where they examined the collections and attended a lecture by Miss Hilda Loines on " English Flower Gardens." Much interest was shown by the members of the Club in the geology and history of the rocks, trees, and other natural features of the Garden reservation. Miss Angelique Rivollier, Activities Director, was in charge of the excursion. Volume 6, part 1, of North American Flora consists of a monograph of the genus Phyllosticta by Fred J. Seaver. The work is largely a compilation of the species described and reported for North America, i. e. no attempt has been made to culture out the species in order to determine their life histories, although the gross morphology has been studied as carefully as the available material will permit. Wherever the perfect stage is known it has been indicated in a note supplementary to the descriptions. In order to comply with the form, a key has been arranged. On account of the difficulty, however, of constructing a satisfactory key for such a large genus in which the specific differences are so slight, the general rule for North American Flora has been modified and a host index supplied for the genus. An attempt has been made to correct host determinations where 76 material is adequate but unfortunately many of the specimens are so fragmentary that it has been necessary to accept the host determinations made by the collector. The entire work consists of 84 pages of text and was issued early in April. Perfect fruiting specimens of Buxbaumia aphylla L., a rather rare and very interesting moss with large, peculiar capsules, were found by Dr. Murrill at Yama Farms, in the southern Catskills, on May 9, growing in sandy soil beside a path on a rocky hillside in thin, oak- chestnut woods. This species was found many years ago on decayed wood in the hemlock grove by Mr. Williams, who published a brief article on the three American species of the genus in the first volume of the Journal. The soil at the Yama Farms locality was carefully examined under a lens and no decayed wood was found in or near it. Over 300 biology pupils from Evander Childs High School visited the Garden on May 22 and were shown through the conservatories and around the grounds by several members of the Garden staff. After studying a number of the trees on the lawns, they assembled in the large lecture room for a talk on forestry, given by Mr. George T. Hastings. At the close of the lecture some time was devoted to a study of the collections in the economic museum. The Burroughs Nature Club of Newark, New Jersey, visited the Garden on the afternoon of May 20 to see the temperate and tropical collections of living ferns. Thirty or more members were present, including the newly elected president and vice-president. The excursion began at the rock garden and ended at conservatory range 2; with brief stops in the iris garden, hemlock grove, mansion, and deciduous arboretum. Mr. Oakes Ames published on April 5th, 1922, the seventh volume of his valued papers on orchids, and has continued his liberality to the Garden by sending a copy for our library, having previously sent the proceeding six volumes as published; the seventh contains eleven papers, covering a wide range of 77 studies of both American and Old World orchids. Several species new to science are described from specimens sent him from our herbarium. President J. A. Blaisdell of Pomona College, Claremont, California was a recent visitor at the Garden. He is interested in securing cooperation on some of the citrus problems of Southern California, Pomona College being located in the citrus belt. Professor H. M. Fitzpatrick of Cornell University spent several days at the Garden in May continuing his researches on certain groups of Ascomycetous fungi. Meteorology for April: The total precipitation for the month was 2.54 inches. The maximum temperatures recorded for each week were as follows: 750 on the 8th, 88° on the 10th, 720 on the 18th and 8o° on the 26th. The minimum temperatures were: 31" on the 3rd, 39° on the 16th, 380 on the 22nd and 32° on the 29th. Killing frosts occured in the first and last weeks of the month. A group of botanical students from Hunter College came to the Garden on April 27 to examine the orchid collection and to hear a talk by Dr. Gleason on this large and interesting family of plants. About seventy- five biological students from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula spent the afternoon at the Garden on April twenty- eight. They were shown through portions of the grounds and buildings by Mr. Wilson and other members of the Garden staff. Miss Helen Purdy, who is now assisting Dr. Murrill with the collections of the higher fungi, gave a brief account of her recent research in Copenhagen at an informal meeting of the Barnard Botanical Club, held at the home of Mrs. Boyle, Saturday, May 6th. This spring Dr. Stout is conducting important breeding work with about twenty species of the genus Lilium. 78 ACCESSIONS PLANTS AND SEEDS 3 plants of Citrus for conservatories ( given by Mrs. Grimes), i plant of Codiaeum ( given by Mr. Wm. H. Becker). 3 plants of crested begonia ( by exchange with Mr. W. A. Manda). io plants for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. of Agric). 2 plants for nurseries ( by exchange with College of Agric, Ithaca, N. Y.). 2 plants of Castalia " Attraction" ( by exchange with Missouri Bot. Gard.). i plant for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Dr. J. N. Rose), i plant of Sedum for conservatories ( by exchange with Prof. Thorne). 4 plants of Opuntia from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 7 cactus plants ( by exchange with Dept. of Agric. of Trinidad). 32 plants of Iris from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 1 packet of seed ( given by Mr. J. Hartling). 1 packet of seed ( given by Prof. Glover). 1 packet of Bactris utilis seed ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. Agric). 44 packets of seed ( by exchange with Central Experiment Station of Canada). I packet of seed ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. Agric). 1 packet of seed ( by exchange with College De La Salle, Habana). 91 packets of seed ( purchased). 2 plants for conservatories ( given by Mr. Edward W. Doherty). 3 plants of Oncidium for conservatories ( given by Miss Harriet J. Coxe). 537 plants for iris garden ( given by American Iris Society). 2 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. John C. Wister). 1 plant of Tinantia for conservatories ( given by Miss Lula Pace). 1 plant of Arbutus ( given by Mrs. Jean Kerr). 5 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. C. N. Wettengel). 2 plants for iris garden ( given by Mr. J. M. Shull). 35 plants for conservatories ( given by Mr. Fisher). 33 plants from Porto Rico ( collected by Dr. N. L. Britton). 1 plant of Opuntia from Florida ( collected by Dr. J. K. Small). 17 plants from Brazil ( collected by Mr. P. H. Rolf). 25 plants of Areca lutescens ( given by Mr. E. Murray Brunner through Dr. N. L. Britton). 7 plants for arboretum ( by exchange with U. S. Dept. of Agric). 1 plant for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Mr. W. R. Maxon). 15 plants of Abutilon ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cambridge, England). 1 plant of Bougainvillea ( by exchange with Brooklyn Botanic Garden). 95 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with Storrs & Harrison Co.). 4 plants for conservatories ( by exchamge with Dr. E. J. Palmer). 9 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with Dr. E. T. Wherry). 79 5 plants for conservatories ( by exchange with U. S. Nat. Museum through Dr. J. N. Rose). 6 plants for decorative planting ( purchased). II plants for collections ( purchased). I plant ( raised from seed). i packet of seed ( given by Mrs. N. L. Britton). 9 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cambridge, England). 43 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland). 58 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Bonn, Germany). 60 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cernauti, Transylvania). 19 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Cluj, Roumania), 26 packets of seed ( by exchange with Botanic Garden, Groningue, Holland), LIBRARY, FROM JAN. i- APRIL 30 Archivos do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. Vols. 1- 3, 10. Rio de Janeiro, 1876- 99 ( given by t h e Museu Nacional de Rio de Janeiro). CANNON, WILLIAM AUSTIN. Plant habits and habitates in the arid portions of South Australia. Washington, 1921 ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). Catalogue of the library of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Cambridge, 1918. CLARK, GEORGE HAROLD, & MALTE, MALTE OSCAR. Fodder and pasture. plants. Ottawa, 1913 ( given by Dr. P. A. Rydberg). CLEMENTS, FREDERIC EDWARD. A eration and air- content. Washington, 1921. ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). EVELYN, JOHN. The French gardiner. Ed. 3. London, 1672. GRABAU, AMADEUS WILLIAM. A textbook of geology. * vols. Boston, C 1920. HALL, HARVEY MONROE, & LONG, FRANCES LOUISE. Rubber- content of North American Plants. Washington, 1921 ( given by the Carnegie Institution of Washington). HERRERA, FORTUNATO L. ContributiSn a la flora del Departmento del Cuzco, Primera parte, Ed. 2. Cuzco, 1921 ( given by the Torrey Botanical Club). HOTTES, ALFRED CARL. Practical plant propagation. Ed. 2. New York, 1922. Index Kewensis. Supplementum quintum. Oxonii, 1921. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Vols. 7- 12. Plymouth, 1904- 21 ( by exchange). KROK, THORGNY OSSIAN BOLIVAR NAPOLEON, & ALMQUIST, SIGFRID OSKAR IMMANUEL. Svensk flora for skolor. Vol. 2. Kryptomgamer. Ed. 3. Stockholm, 1907 ( given by Dr. W. A. Murrill). MCILVAINE, CHARLES, & MACADAM, ROBERT K. One thousand American fungi. Ed. 3. Indianapolis, [ 1911] OLIVER, GEORGE WATSON & HOTTES, ALFRED CARL. Plant culture. Ed. 4. New York, 1921. 8o PASCHER, ADOLF A. Die Siisswasser- Flora Deutschlands, Osterreicks und der Schweiz, ed. Heft 7. Chlorophyceae 4. Jena, 1921. SARGENT, CHARLES SPRAGUE. Manual of the trees of North American. Ed. 2. Boston, 1922. SMYTHE, WILLIAM E. City homes on country lanes. New York, 1921 ( given by Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack). STOUT, ARLOW BURDETTE. Gardening. Yonkers- on- Hudson, 1922 ( given by the author). STOUT, HENRIETTA MARIA ( SCHROEDER). The amateur's book of the dahlia. Garden City, 1922. WERNHAM, HERBERT FULLER. A monograph of the genus Sabicea. London, 1914. Members of the Corporation Dr. Robert Abbe Fritz Achelis Edward D. Adams Charles B. Alexander Vincent Astor John W. Auchincloss George F. Baker Stephen Baker Henry de Forest Baldwin Edmund L. Baylies Prof. Charles P. Berkey Eugene P. Bicknell C. K. G. Billings George Blumenthal George S. Brewster Prof. N. L. Britton Prof. Edw. S. Burgess Dr. Nicholas M. Butler Prof. W. H. Carpenter Prof. C. F. Chandler Hon. W. A. Clark C. A. Coffin Marin Le Brun Cooper Paul D. Cravath James W. Cromwell Charles Deering Rev. Dr. H. M. Denslow Cleveland H. Dodge Samuel W. Fairchild William B. O. Field James B. Ford Henry W. De Forest Robert W. De Forest Prof. W. J. Gies Daniel Guggenheim Murry Guggenheim J. Horace Harding J. Montgomery Hare Edward S. Harkness Prof. R. A. Harper J. Amory Haskell T. A. Havemeyer A. Heckscher Joseph P. Hennessey Bernhard Hoffmann Archer M. Huntington Adrian Iselin Dr. Walter B. James Walter B. Jennings Otto H. Kahn Prof. James F. Kemp Darwin P. Kingsley Edw. V. Z. Lane Dr. Albert R. Ledoux Prof. Frederic S. Lee Adolph Lewisohn Kenneth K. Mackenzie V. Everit Macy Edgar L. Marston W. J. Matheson George McAneny Dr. Walter Mendelson John L. Merrill Ogden Mills Hon. Ogden L. Mills Barrington Moore J. Pierpont Morgan Dr. Lewis R. Morris Frederic R. Newbold C. D. Norton Eben E. Olcott Prof. Henry F. Osborn Chas. Lathrop Pack Henry Phipps F. R. Pierson James R. Pitcher Ira A. Place Hon. Anning S. Prall Charles F. Rand Ogden Mills Reid Prof. H. M. Richards John D. Rockefeller W. Emlen Roosevelt Prof. H. H. Rusby Dr. Reginald H. Sayre Mortimer L. Schiff Albert R. Shattuck Henry A. Siebrecht William Sloane Valentine P. Snyder Louis C. Tiffany Felix M. Warburg Paul M. Warburg Allen Wardwell H. H. Westinghouse Bronson Winthrop James Speyer Frederick Strauss F. K. Sturgis B. B. Thayer Charles G. Thompson W. Boyce Thompson Dr. W. Gilman Thompson Grenville L. Winthrop Members of the Women's Auxiliary Mrs. George A. Armour Mrs. Robert Bacon Miss Elizabeth Billings Mrs. N. L. Britton Mrs. Andrew Carnegie Mrs. Charles D. Dickey Mrs. A. Barton Hepburn Mrs. Robert C. Hill Mrs. Walter Jennings Mrs. Bradish Johnson Mrs. Delancey Kane Mrs. Hamilton F. Kean Mrs. Gustav E. Kissel Mrs. A. A. Low Mrs. V. Everit Macy Mrs. Henry Marquand Mrs. George W. Perkins Mrs. George D. Pratt Mrs. Harold I. Pratt Mrs. William A. Read Mrs. James Roosevelt Mrs. Benson B. Sloan Mrs. Theron G. Strong Mrs. Edw. T. H. Talmage Mrs. Henry O. Taylor Mrs. W. G. Thompson Mrs. Cabot Ward Honorary Members of the Women's Auxiliary Mrs. E. Henry Harriman Mrs. John I. Kane Mrs. Jas. A. Scrymser Miss Olivia E. P. Stokes Mrs. F. F. Thompson P U B L I C A T I O N S OF The New York Botanical Garden Journal of the New York Botanical Garden, monthly, illustrated, contain, ing notes, news, and non- technical articles of general interest. Free to all members of the Garden. To others, io cents a copy; $ 1.00 a year. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its twenty- third volume. Mycologia, bimonthly, illustrated in color and otherwise; devoted to fungi, including lichens; containing technical articles and news and notes of general interest, and an index to current American mycological literature. $ 4.00 a year; single copies not for sale. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its fourteenth volume. Addisonia, quarterly, devoted exclusively to colored plates accompanied by popular descriptions of flowering plants; eight plates in each number, thirty-two in each volume. Subscription price, $ 10.00 a year. [ Not offered in exchange.] Now in its seventh volume. Bulletin of the Kew York Botanical Garden, containing the annual reports ef the Director- in- Chief and other official documents, and technical articles embodying results of investigations carried out in the Garden. Free to all members of the Garden; to others, $ 3.00 per volume. Now in its eleventh volume. North American Flora. Descriptions of the wild plants of North America, including Greenland, the West Indies, and Central America. Planned to be completed in 34 volumes. Roy. 8vo. Each volume to consist of four or more parts. Subscription price, $ 1.50 per part; a limited number of separate parts will be sold for $ 2.00 each. [ Not offered in exchange.] Vol. 3, part 1, 1910. Nectriaceae— Fimetariaceae. Vol. 7, part I, 1906; part 2, 1907, part 3, 1912; part 4, 1920; part 5, 1920; part 6, 1921. Ustilaginaceae— Aecidiaceae ( pars). ( Parts I and 2 no longer sold separately.) Vol. 9 ( now complete), parts 1- 7, 1907- 1916. Polyporaceae— Agaricaceae ( pars). ( Parts 1- 3 no longer sold separately.) Vol. 10, part 1, 1914; parts 2 and 3, 1917. Agaricaceae ( pars). Vol. 15, parts I and 2, 1913. Sphagnaceae— Leucobryaceae. Vol. 16, part 1, 1909. Ophioglossaceae— Cyatheaceae ( pars). Vol. 17, part I, 1909; part 2, 1912; part 3, 1915. Typhaceae— Poaceae ( pars). Vol. 21, part I, 1916; part 2, 1917; part 3, 1918. Chenopodiaceae— Atlio-niaceae. Vol. 22, parts I and 2, 1905; parts 3 and 4, 1908; part 5, 1913; part 6, 1918. Podostemonaceae— Rosaceae. Vol. 24, part I, 1919; part 2, 1920. Fabaceae ( pars.) Vol. 25, part 1,1907; part 2,1920; part 3, 1911. Geraniaceae— Burseraceae. Vol. 29, part I, 1914. Clethraceae— Ericaceae. Vol. 32, part 1, 1918. Rubiaceae ( pars). Vol. 34, part I, 1914; part 2, 1915; part 3, 1916. Carduaceae— Anthem-ideae. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. Price to members of the Garden, £ 1.50 per volume. To others, $ 3.00. [ Not offered in exchange.] Vol. I. An Annotated Catalogue of the Flora of Montana and the Yellowstone Park, by Per Axel Rydberg. ix + 492 pp., with detailed map. 1900. Vol. II. The Influence of Light and Darkness upon Growth and Development, by D. T. MacDougal. xvi + 320 pp., with 176 figures. 1903. Vol. III. Studies of Cretaceous Coniferous Remains from Kreischerville, New York, by A. Hollick and E. C. Jeffrey. viii+ 138 pp., with 29 plates. 1909. Vol. IV. Effects of the Rays of Radium on Plants, by Charles Stuart Gager. viii + 278 pp., with 73 figures and 14 plates. 1908. Vol. V. Flora of the Vicinity of New York: A Contribution to Plant Geography, by Norman Taylor, vi + 683 pp., with 9 plates. 1915. Vol. VI. Papers presented at the Celebration of theTwentieth Anniversary of the New York Botanical Garden, viii + 592 pp., with 43 plates and many text figures. 1916. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden. A series of technical papers written by students or members of the staff, and reprinted from Journals other than the above. Price, 25 cents each. $ 5.00 per volume. a the tenth volume. NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN Bronx Park, New York City |
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