THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



27S 



AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION' 



Kwtublished 1*7") Incorporated. Massachusetts. IS!)? Incorporated, Connecticut, 1910 



The Agassiz Yucca at Arcadia. 



In November, 1908, a Washington, 

 D. C, friend of The Agassiz Associa- 

 tion sent to the home office a clipping 

 from a Washington newspaper giving 

 an extended account of the annual 

 flower show of the Florists' Club of 

 that city, at which the attendance, it 

 was stated, was nearly 35,000. Our 

 attention was particularly requested to 

 the following paragraph : 



"A novel plant, which was exhibited, 

 but which escaped the notice of a great 

 many persons, is the 'Resurrection' 

 plant, or scientifically known as the 

 Agassiz Yucca, from Brazil. The first 

 plant of this variety was brought from 

 Brazil in 1866 by Prof. Agassiz and 

 his wife, who made an immense collec- 

 tion of specimens for the Harvard mu- 

 seum. William Falconer, then curator 

 of the botanic garden at Cambridge, 

 secured several sprouts from the plant, 

 one of which he brought to this city. 

 The plant which was exhibited at the 

 show, is the property of Mrs. Walcott, 

 wife of the secretary of the Smithson- 

 ian Institution." 



Inquiry was at once made to the 

 Smithsonian Institution for further 

 particulars. That letter was referred 

 to the United States Botanic Garden. 

 The Superintendent, Mr. W. R. Smith, 

 under date of February 1st, 1909, wrote 

 as follows : 



"The Agassiz Yucca or Resurrection 

 plant is a provisional name, it being an 

 unknown species. The Yucca was 

 brought from Brazil, by Professor 

 Agassiz, in 1866. After being appar- 

 ently dead for two years, it was placed 

 in a damp place, and commenced to 

 grow; hence the name Resurrection 

 plant. Both Mr. Falconer and myself 

 obtained some shoots from this plant, 

 and propagated them. I should be 

 pleased to present one to your friend, 

 on hearing further from von." 



Under date of April 23, 1909, the fol- 

 lowing letter from the Superintendent 

 was received : 



"Yesterday we shipped a box by mail 

 to you containing one Yucca Agassai, 

 as promised, and trust you will receive 

 same in good condition." 



The plant has since been in good 

 condition at the entrance door of the 

 Agassiz Home at Arcadia, and examin- 

 ed and touched by hundreds of visitors. 

 A direct bit of life from the hands of 

 Louis Agassiz should enliven any one's 

 interest in nature. 



Among Our Chapters. 



RK-ORGANIZVTION OF MANOR SCHOOL 

 CHAPTER (NO. IOqi ), STAMFORD, CONN. 



Officers: President, Alwyn G. Levy; 

 Vice-President, Lathrop F. Berry; Sec- 

 retary, Welles H. Newlands ; Curator, 

 Daniel Moore ; Treasurer, Oliver K. 

 Church. 



The total membership of this chapter 

 is forty-two. The interests consist 

 chiefly of walks, talks and original ob- 

 servations, especially in the care oi 

 aquaria. Some of the members have 

 made good original studies of various 

 kinds of fungi. Others have valuable 

 studies on insects, especially of the 

 Hymenoptera family. The president is 

 especially expert in electricity and pho- 

 tography. We are hoping for specific, 

 detailed reports later. 



K. F. B. 



The Wendell Phillips High School 

 (Chicago) Chapter. 



The Chapter, under two most able 

 officers, the president and vice-presi- 

 dent, has made a good start this year. 

 A contest is going on for the best col- 

 lection of natural specimens. All of 

 the individual members are making col- 

 lections and as prizes are soon to be 

 awarded everyone is striving to do his 



