FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 23 



SECTION OF BOTANY 



Personnel. — The technical force remains the same as for the 

 past year, with the addition of Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero, who was 

 appointed early in the year for the purpose of undertaking a 

 survey of the medicinal plants of the Archipelago. Chief botan- 

 ist E. D. Merrill was on leave of absence in the United States 

 from April 5, 1915, to January 3, 1916. The relations of Mr. 

 E. D. Merrill and Dr. W. H. Brown with the University are 

 the same as during 1915, the services of the former being shared 

 by the Bureau of Science with the University on an equal basis, 

 and the latter, primarily employed by the University, being 

 detailed to the Bureau of Science for certain work. By this 

 arrangement Mr. Merrill has continued as head of the botanical 

 department of the University, and at the same time both gentle- 

 men have opportunity to do much technical research work. 



The time utilized for the University is to a large degree oifset 

 by delegating much routine work to clerical employees who have 

 been trained in certain lines, so the botanical output of the 

 Bureau of Science has not been greatly restricted. 



Exploration. — Messrs. Fenix, Ramos, and Edaiio have success- 

 fully carried on field work in the following regions: Northern 

 Samar; Bukidnon, Mindanao; and Nueva Ecija and Tayabas 

 Provinces, Luzon. Smaller collections have been made in La- 

 guna, Cavite, Rizal, Zambales, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, 

 and other provinces. Dr. H. S. Yates made one extensive trip 

 in Mountain Province and a shorter one in southern Tayabas, 

 for the purpose of collecting fungi. Doctors Yates and Brown 

 and Mr. Merrill have made an examination of the revegetation 

 of Taal Volcano. Mr. Merrill spent three weeks* vacation in 

 Kwangtung Province, China, in collecting and preparing botan- 

 ical material. 



One extensive trip of Mr. Fenix was devoted wholly to the 

 investigations of the bast-fiber plants and bast-rope industry in 

 the Ilocano provinces, Luzon. He collected botanical material 

 and fiber specimens from all the plants utilized by the Filipinos 

 in making rope and secured several hundred meters of each kind 

 of rope, which are to be tested for strength, durability, etc. 



Mycology. — When Doctor Yates arrived last year he found 

 the mycological collections in a chaotic condition and has devoted 

 much time to the arrangement of the material already identified. 

 This phase of the work is now completed. He has carried on 

 work in connection with the outbreak of bud rot in the coconut 



