100 proceedings: botanical society 



method of growing Heterodera radicicola in pure culture and to indicate 

 the effect of this parasite on its host. 



The first Washington Botanical Society: P. L. Ricker. While collect- 

 ing material for the bibliography and biography in the forthcoming- 

 Flora of Washington the speaker first learned 1 of the existence of a 

 Washington Botanical Society organized on March 13, 1817 with thirteen 

 charter members: John Boyle, W. A. Bradley, Dr. John A. Brere- 

 ton, Samuel Elliot, Jr., William Elliot, J. W. Hand, Dr. Henry 

 Huntt, Maj. James Kearney, Rev. Dr. James Laurie, Dr. Alex- 

 ander McWilliams, J. M. Moore, John Underwood, and George 

 Watterson. Subsequently six additional members were elected and 

 three honorary members: Dr. Jacob Bigelow, Dr. William Darling- 

 ton, and Dr. William P. C. Barton. Meetings of the society were 

 held until March 27, 1826, when the society adjourned sine die. It 

 was ordered that the library of the society be deposited in the Wash- 

 ington Library. The herbarium was placed under the care of Dr. 

 McWilliams, but its subsequent disposition has not been learned. The 

 records of the society eventually found their way into a local second 

 hand book store and were presented to the late Lester F. Ward in 

 1883, remaining in his possession until his death, when his library was 

 given to Brown University. After correspondence with the librarian 

 of Brown University, formal request was made to the Trustees of that 

 institution by the Secretary of this Society for the return of the records 

 to Washington, which request was granted. The proceedings of the 

 meetings for the first few years show considerable progress in the study 

 of the local flora and offer many interesting historical data. 



The 15th annual meeting of the Botanical Society of Washington 

 was held at the Department of Agriculture, Tuesday, October 19, 1915 

 at 1.30 p.m., with twenty-four members present. The report of the 

 Executive Committee showed the following facts concerning the activi- 

 ties of the society for the preceding year. Average attendance of 73 

 members and guests. Seven members were lost during the year: one 

 by resignation and six by change of residence. Eighteen new members 

 were elected, making a total net membership of 143. One joint meet- 

 ing was held with the Washington Academy of Sciences. Twenty-one 

 formal scientific papers were presented and the following visiting- 

 botanists were entertained: Prof. J. C. Bose, Dr. Camillo Schneider, 

 Dr. F. Kolpin Ravn, Dr. Otto Appel, and Dr. Gentaro Yamada. 



The customary reports were presented and approved and the fol- 

 lowing officers elected for the ensuing year: President, Prof. A. S. 

 Hitchcock; vice-president, Dr. J. W. T. Duvel; recording secretary, 

 Chas. E. Chambliss; corresponding secretary, Mr. W. E. Safford; 

 treasurer, Dr. C. E. Leighty. Dr. R. H. True was nominated as the 

 representative of the Society upon the Board of the Washington Acad- 

 emy of Sciences. 



Perley S paulding, Corresponding Secretary. 



1 Coville, Frederick V. Early Botanical Activity in the District of Columbia. 

 Records of the Columbia Historical Society, 5: 176-194. 1901. 



