MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 11 
demonstration of some important relations of plants to lime 
and other soil nutrients. These experiments were designed 
to show the elements of the soil essential for plant growth, 
as well as the deleterious action of these same elements when 
not present in properly balanced proportion. The beneficial 
and harmful action of acid and alkali soils upon specific 
plants was likewise illustrated. 
In the past a chief need has been that of a greenhouse set 
apart for laboratory work, in which experiments on a large 
scale might be carried out, especially in connection with 
plant nutrition and diseases. It is hoped that the new ex- 
perimental greenhouses planned will be ready for occupancy 
by the fall of 1915. In the construction of these houses 
provision will be made whereby it may be possible in the 
future to install whatever apparatus is needed to accurately 
control humidity and temperature conditions. The control 
of these factors is a most important consideration in experi- 
mental work, and no modern greenhouse for the purpose 
would be complete without ultimately installing the appar- 
atus mentioned 
As far as it may be possible it is the intention in the future 
to concentrate most of the effort of the laboratory upon some 
one main line of investigation, the work to continue through 
a period of years. Such an investigation with growing 
plants has not been feasible because the space for experi- 
mental work has been so limited. 
Instruction, Lectures, etc—Undergraduate courses offered 
during 1913-14 in the Henry Shaw School of Botany by 
members of the staff who are likewise members of the faculty 
of Washington University, were fourteen in number. These 
included two new courses: Special Chapters in Fermenta- 
tion, by Dr. Duggar, and Plant Geography, by Dr. Green- 
man. ‘The course in Morphology and Taxonomy of the 
Fungi has been assumed by Dr. Burt, and the course in 
General Botany by Dr. Schramm. In addition to those 
mentioned, the regularly announced courses were offered in 
Bacteriology, Morphology and Taxonomy of the Algae, 
Morphology and Taxonomy of the Spermatophytes, Ad- 
vanced Physiology, Sanitary Bacteriology, Taxonomy, Semi- 
nar, and Research in several phases of botany. 
Lectures or addresses by members of the staff include the 
following: 
H. von Schrenk, December 17, 1913, before the Bell Tele- 
hone Club, St. Louis, “Decay and Preservation of Poles, and 
aintenance of Telephone Lines”. 
