363 
Dr. Erwin F. Smith called attention to the fact that a tumor, 
not due to nematodes, was becoming increasingly prevalent in the 
United States on the roots of peaches, almonds and other stone 
fruits. These tumors vary in size from that of a pea to a man’s 
fist. Nursery stock is especially subject to attack, and the roots 
of a small tree may often bear half a dozen, nearly the whole 
energy of the plant being used up by these abnormal growths. 
The disease occurs from New Jersey to Georgia and west through 
Michigan and Missouri to Arizona and California. It is now most 
prevalent on the Pacific Coast, where its depredations are serious 
and increasing every year. A microscopic examination of the 
inner tissues of fresh young tumors has not shown the presence of 
‘animal or vegetable parasites, and their cause is still a mystery. 
The most suggestive hypothesis is that they may be caused by 
external irritation, z. ¢., to some parasite acting from without. It 
is a subject becoming economically more and more important, and 
will soon demand critical study by some plant pathologist. 
Prof. D. H. Campbell remarked on a preliminary study of the 
prothallium in Ophioglossacez, and exhibited this organ in 
Botrychium Virginianum. 
Prof. Bessey read‘a paper on “ The Use of Personal Names in 
Designating Species.” He strongly condemned the practice. 
Prof. Britton called attention to the propriety of the use of per- 
sonal adjectives in genera of a very large number of species, 
where all the available descriptive adjectives have been exhausted, 
and also of the valuable historical feature in the association of the 
first collector’s name with a species. Dr. A. B. Seymour ap- 
Proved the position taken by Dr. Bessey. Prof. Coulter favored 
the use of personal names for the reasons advanced by Dr. Britton 
and on the ground that they were conducive to stability. 
TurEspay, AUGUST 22. 
Prof. J. C. Arthur exhibited and described a new form of reg- 
istering auxanometer. or 
Mr. W. T. Swingle read a paper on “ The Southernmost Botan- 
ical Laboratory of the United States.” He described the Sub- 
tropical Laboratory of the Division of Vegetable Pathology, — 
United States Department of Agriculture, established at Eustis, 
. 
