REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



99 



and showing the application of the methods devised, which will 

 later be offered for publication. Incidentally, he has prepared and 

 published a paper on the germination of the desert mistletoes, as 

 given in the list on page loo. 



Prof. V. M. Spalding, of the University of Michigan, was occu- 

 pied at the laboratory from October, 1903, until April, 1904, in an 

 investigation of the biological relations of the creosote bush and 



FLOOR PLAN 



Pig. 5. — Floor plan of Desert Botanical lyaboratory. 



Other desert shrubs. By means of the apparatus developed by Dr. 

 Cannon, Professor Spalding ascertained that the creosote bush main- 

 tains a continuous transpiration in an adobe soil containing as low 

 as 3 per cent, of moisture (air dried). This indicates an absorptive 

 power far in excess of any heretofore recorded. (See page 100.) 



Mrs. E. S. Spalding made observations on the giant cereus, and 

 ascertained the manner in which it adjusts the diameter of its trunk 

 to the varying amounts of water it is able to absorb and store. (See 

 page 100.) 



