Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-30
VERMONT BOTANISTS,
Many of Them in Town For Their
Winter Meeting.
Papers OF Interest to the Nom bers.Pre-
sented-Plans Of Bird Club Discuss
ed--Annual Address by Prof.
Robinson Of Harvard.

Robinson Of Harvard.
The annual winter meeting Of the YER
mont Botanical club opened in this city at
O'Clock Friday afternoon in the vii
Jams Science hall of the University of Yer
mont. The attendance was fully as large
as was expected. about 60 persons being
present many of the number being from
out of town.
The first two papers on the programme
were not heard, owing to the absence of
the authors These papers were Some
Vermont Bryophytes' by A. Leroy An
drews of Mt. Pleasant. Pa, and "Mosscs
New to Vermont" by DIR. A. j. Grout of
the boys high school of Brooklyn y. Y.
Although they were not read 1t Is interest
ing to note that thirteen species of moss
new to Vermont were reported.
Dr. +. T.. liazcn of the Fairbanks mu-
scum, st. Johnsbury, presented a paper
upon New Vermont Algae." He showed
drawings of fresh water algae collected in
st. Johnsbury and had seven species new
to Vermont, three of them being new to
science.
The next paper was by Miss T,unice d.
Smith of Barre, who described her wild
garden at Barre, giving a very interesting
account of the success of her experience in
bringing wild flowers under cultivation.
She enumerated many species of orchids
and vines which she had grown with sue
cess FOR several years although in the Gull
tivation of these species others have us-
udllY failed She was, however, not sue
cessful in growing arbutus and one or two
other plants.
THE Ferns of Bratteboro" was the title
Of Mrs. Frances Il. Horizons paper. her
home being in that town. She described in a
most interesting way the ferns foundin that
region and her own excellent results in the
cultivation of native ferns. She reported
the finding Of the Massachusetts fern (as-
pdium simulatum) for the first time in
Vermont and she also reported finding the
climbing fern 0yggodium painatum) in
New Hampshire within twelve miles of
Brattleboro.
Miss Clarke read a very interesting paper
on "Our Roadsides and Hedgerows," which
was written by Mrs. A. +. Stevens of
Washington. The article dealt with the
beauties Of Vermont roadsides and hedge
rows and made a plea for their fuller APP
probation and more systematic protection.
Miss Alice l.. Bacon of Bradford presents
ed an article "A Note on Po1ro-,ng by Cy-
pripedium Specialize" She gave a very
detailed statement of this kind of poison
ing, the plant being commonly known as
the snowy lady slipper. Notes were given
by several other members on the same sub
ject.
Mrs Nellie f. Flynn of Burlington pre-
scented a paper on Further Notes on the
Burlington Flora" reporting the collec-
ton during the past season. of "a large
number of species new to this region,
The total number of higher plants now
recognized in the Burlington fora is 1924.
III the ferns We have Il out Of the 10 in
the state. We have all the securing rush
es CEquisetums) of the state and twelve
out of the fifteen evergreen trees; 102 out
Of the 1872 grasses; Of OF the sedge family:
of ,,t hn ilt. f,t ,fIt-.
orchids; all the poplars of the state; 10
of the l9 willows; II Of the "a trees of the
oak family II Of the nettle family; = of
the smart weeds; all of the pig weeds or
Chenopodiaceae; p of the 81 of the crow
foot family: 10 of the parsley family; q
~ the heath family; 26 of the minis and
So Of the composites.
President Ezra Braincrd or Middlebury
college came next with a paper on - me
Problems for Vermont I3otanists Next
Season" He spoke in connection with the
recent publication of DR. Britton's man-
ual, of 40 or % forms which are probably
to be found in Vermont. Several violcts,
particularly forms of the common blue
violets are to be looked for. There are
two new strawberries and the hlackb r.
ries need further study. Some of the most
important problems are to be found in
connection with the large number of new
forms Of crataegus or thorn apples which
have been described within the past year
or two.
w. II. Blanchard of Westminster pre-
pareG a paper on Recent Finds in the
Connecticut Valley" which in his absence
was read by w. w Fggeston of Rutland.
Nine species were reported as new to the
state and a number new or rare in the
region about Bellows Falls.
Giant Puff BALI was the subject of
the paper read by Mrs. Sarah * Lord of
Burlington. This reading was illustrat-
I'd with lantern slides. She ssed
several Of the edible mushrooms. partic-
ularly some pun balls gathered at Cedar
Beach, the largest of which measured 4oib
inches in circumference, and weighed six
pounds,
The last paper of the afternoon was read
by e. II. Jones Of the Vermont Experiment
Station on Progress on the Maple Sap
Problems He described the maple sap
problems that have been experimental on
during the past four seasons, Particular
attention was called to the fact that sum
light, exposure and leaf area are important
factors In maple sugar productions, as 1t
is through the green leaves in sunlight that
the starch is obtained which later forms
the sugar. Eleven experiments were brief
ly described and illustrated with lantern
slides. The chief points mentioned We're
the height of tapping quantity and quail
ity of sap from different depths variations
in sap flow and composition during the
day; north. SOUTH east or west tapping;
does the side having the most branches
give the most sap and lastly the direction
and amount OF sap fow brief discus /
81 oil