MARCH 4, 1021 proceedings: botanical society 121 



but about 7 per cent. It would seem that very many of the species of wide geo- 

 graphic distribution now characteristic of regions outside of the virgin forest, 

 had been introduced into the Archipelago by one means or another, after the 

 activities of man in the Archipelago had prepared regions suitable to their 

 growth. 



This paper was briefly discussed by several members. 



The program was followed by a social hour with refreshments. 



A joint meeting was held with the Washington Academy of Sciences on 

 December 11, at which Dr. H. M. Hall of the Carnegie Institute spoke on 

 Hay fever and its specific botanical relationships . 



14STH MEETING 



The 148th meeting was held in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club on 

 Januar}^4, 1921, with 50 members and 7 guests present, and President Cham- 

 bliss in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 

 Mr. William W. Diehl, Dr. James F. Martin, Dr. Eben H. Toole, and 

 Mr. Freeman Weiss, all of the Bureau of Plant Industr}% were elected to 

 membership. The executive committee presented the name of Mr. Joseph 

 W. Wellington as candidate for membership. President Cil\mbliss an- 

 nounced the meeting of the Washington Academy of Sciences on Januarv^ 1 1 , 

 to which the members of the Botanical Society were cordially invited. 



Brief reports were made by Dr. A. S. Hitchcock, Prof. C. V. Piper, and 

 Dr. \\". H. Weston on the Chicago meetings of the Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science, with particular reference to systematic botany, ag- 

 ronomy and patholog}'. 



F. L'amson-Scribner : The lure of Rock Creek Park (illustrated by lantern 

 slides) . 



Rock Creek Park in the District of Columbia, embracing over 1600 acres 

 and extending for between 4 and 5 miles along both sides of Rock Creek, is 

 wild and interesting. Much of it is unchanged from pre-Colonial days. 

 Since picking flowers and plants is prohibited in the park, it is a real plant 

 preserve, and a pleasure to all lovers of wild flowers. About 800, or one half 

 of the species of flowering plants and ferns listed in the latest "Flora of the 

 District and Vicinity," may be found within the park. 



At one point in the creek bottom are large boulders that show remarkable 

 pot holes, worn in the rocks by the action of water centuries ago. In the, 

 cool shaded ravines are found the maidenhair fern, with jack-in-the-pulpit, 

 false Solomon seal and bellwort; where the soil is rich and the trees less dense, 

 the black snakeroot and Astilbe or false goats beard occur. One of the very 

 first flowers in the spring is the hepatica. 



Farther north we pass Joaquin Miller's picturesque log cabin. This cabin 

 was formerly located at 16th Street above Florida Avenue and was moved 

 to its present site in 1911. A number of fine springs are located in the park, 

 which offer deliciously cool water to those who know where to find them. 



The Park that presents so many, so varied and so beautiful and natural 

 attractions in the summer season, offers hardly less beautiful scenes when the 

 winter snows are on the ground and the trees and shrubs are festooned w^ith 

 crystal whiteness. 



The paper was discussed by Dr. Paul B^artsch. 



J. j\Iarion Shull: Skunk cabbage, Spathyema foetida (with lantern). 

 The skunk cabbage pursues for an indefinite number of years a monopodial 

 juvenile existence until such time as the terminal bud becomes modified to 



