NOTES AND COMMENT 



The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon sixty-five 

 candidates who presented research theses in Botanical science to sixteen 

 American universities in 1917. Nearly one-fourth of the total number 

 were given by the University of Chicago. So far as can be determined 

 by an inspection of the titles, the distribution into special subjects 

 gives 23 to physiology, 11 to pathology, 7 each to morphology and 

 ecology, 6 to bacteriology, 4 each to mycology and embryology, 2 each 

 to taxonomy and genetics, and 1 to paleontology. The notable fea- 

 ture of this phase of the matter is the growing interest in physiology, 

 nearty two-thirds of the theses indicating a physiological view-point. 

 Some of the subjects in ecology might well be assigned directly to 

 physiology also. 



Notwithstanding the emphasis that has been laid upon genetics in 

 research and in breeding operations during the last fifteen years, but 

 few students appear to carry their work so far as to present a thesis. 

 The conditions suggest that the demand for experienced workers is so 

 great that they are called to take positions and responsibility in deal- 

 ing with the subject-matter early in their careers. 



Brown University 



Walter Chadwick Nelson. The gas-bacillus, Bacterium melchii Migula, in 



milk. • 



Marion Dodge Weston. Illustrated key to the fossil flora of the carboniferous 



period of the United States. 



Columbia University 



Ralph Randles Stewart. A check list of the plants of Ladak (western Tibet) 

 with a discussion of the flora. 



Cornell University 



Charles Chupp. Studies on club root. 



Walter H. Burkholder. Anthracnose disease of the raspberry and related 



plants. 

 Howard Bowman Ellenberger. Study of the bacterial growth in ice cream. 

 Royal Joyslin Haskell. Fusarium wilt of the potato in the Hudson River 



Valley, New York. 

 Laurence Howland MacDaniels. Histology of the phloem in certain woody 



angiosp'erms. 



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