MARCH 4, 1921 proceedings: WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 117 



Many organizations are carrying out elaborate investigations of cane varie- 

 ties, and deep regret was expressed by the speaker that similar work was 

 not being conducted on a large scale in the case of the coconut and banana, 

 since these two crops afford the most important pathological problems of 

 economic botany in all tropical America. Considering the huge investments 

 of American capital and the large part tropical foodstuffs play in our national 

 food supply, the speaker deprecated strongly the lack of vital interest in 

 the problems of the tropics and the disinclination of many American scientists 

 to undertake investigations in this interesting and all-important field of work. 



Following the address a business meeting was held. The Corresponding 

 Secretary, Robert B. Sosman, reported that the membership remained at 

 541, consisting of 6 honorary members, .'-) patrons, and 5;]2 members, one of 

 whom is a life member. Of this number, ooU reside in or near the District 

 of Columbia. Twenty-two resignations were accepted during the year, 16 

 of these being of non-resident members. The members who died during the 

 year are: John Alfred Brashear, Albert Hugh Bryan, Robert Hollis- 

 TER Chapman, Arthur J. Ellis, Walter Faxon, William Crawford 

 Gorgas, Hennen Jennings, Harmon Northrop Morse, Cephas Hemp- 

 stone Sinclair. 



The Corresponding Secretary reported also on the activities of the Academy 

 during 1920. These were largely centered in the continued publication of 

 the Journal, but included assistance in several other projects of practical 

 value, such as the classification of the scientific and technical employees in 

 the Federal service, as well as matters of local educational interest. 



The Recording vSecretary, William R. Maxon, reported briefly upon the 

 thirteen public meetings held during the year, at which illustrated lectures 

 were delivered. These covered a wide range of subjects and were well at- 

 tended. 



The report of the Treasurer, R. L. Faris, showed total receipts of $5,829.73 

 and total disbursements of $5,515.38, the cash balance on hand being 

 Si, 792. 62. The investments of the Academy have a total par value of 

 $15,036.37. The cost of printing the Journal in 1920 was $2,873.74 as 

 against $2,550 for 1919. A further increase in unavoidable in 1921. 



The report of the Auditing Committee, consisting of E. D. Williamson, 

 B. L. Johnson and H. C. Oberholser, was read, and the reports of the 

 Treasurer and Auditing Committee were accepted. 



The report of the Editors of the Journal was read by J. Fr.-^nklin Meyer, 

 the senior editor. 



The committee of tellers, consisting of N. L. Bowen, W. F. Meggers and 

 R. B. Sosman, reported that the following officers had been elected for 1921 : 

 President, Alfred H. Brooks; Corresponding Secretary, Robert B. Sosman; 

 Recording Secretary, William R. Maxon; Treasurer, R. L. Vakis; Non-resident 

 Vice-Presidents, J. McKeen Cattell, E. B. Wilson; Members of Board of 

 Managers, Class of 1924, H. S. Graves, SidneV Paige. 



The following Vice-Presidents nominated l^y the affiliated Societies were 

 then elected: Archaeological Society, Ales Hrdlicka; Biological Society, 

 Ned Hollister; Botanical Society, A. S. Hitchcock; Chemical Society, 

 William Blum; Institute of Electrical Engineers, F. B. vSilsbee; Society of 

 Engineers, R. L. Faris; Entomological Society, S. A. Rohwer; Society of 

 Foresters, Raphael Zon; National Geographic Society, Frederick V. Coville; 

 Geological Society, David White; Historical Society, Allen C. Clark; 

 Philosophical Society, W. J. Humphreys. 



W^illiam R. Maxon, Recording Secretary. 



