24 THE BUREAU OF SCIENCE 



region of Laguna and on the citrus canker in Mountain Province 

 and has devoted much time to a study of the molds affecting 

 copra. Field investigation has been made, and some inoculation 

 experiments have been performed in a study of the cause of 

 coconut bud rot. 



Physiology. — The field work on the relation of environment 

 to physical types of vegetation at different altitudes on Mount 

 Maquiling v^^as completed in 1915. Doctor Brown has made 

 much progress in the task now in hand of correlating and inter- 

 preting nearly three years of field data, and this large work 

 should be completed during the coming year. During this year 

 he has initiated and nearly completed a series of field observa- 

 tions on Mount Banajao, with a view to complete a similar 

 piece of work in relation to the vegetation of Mount Banajao, 

 for purposes of comparison with that of Mount Maquiling. 



In cooperation with Mr. G. W. Heise, of the division of in- 

 organic chemistry, he has prepared for publication an article 

 on the relation of light intensity to carbon dioxide assimilation 

 and has planned a series of experiments for a further investiga- 

 tion of the problem. In cooperation with Mr. A. S. Argiielles 

 he has in preparation a paper on the relation of soils to vegeta- 

 tion on Mount Maquiling. With Doctor Yates he has done the 

 necessary field work and is now writing up the results in relation 

 to the revegetation of Taal Volcano since the eruption of 1911. 



Morphology of the volvocales. — This work has been carried 

 on during the past year in the botanical laboratory of the Bureau 

 of Science by Dr. W. R. Shaw, of the University of the Philip- 

 pines. The project is now well advanced, and the results pro- 

 mise to be of great interest. Doctor Shaw has developed 

 improved methods for collecting, preserving, staining, mounting, 

 and photographing these minute organisms, and in the course of 

 his work he has discovered several new generic types and 

 undescribed species. 



Medicinal plant survey. — This work was initiated early in 

 the year, and its progress has been satisfactory. An effort is 

 being made to compile all data of interest regarding medicinal, 

 reputed medicinal, and poisonous plants of the Philippines; to 

 identify the plants; and to select for chemical, pharmaceutical, 

 and medicinal investigation those species of promise. 



Systematic investigations. — Several thousand specimens that 

 accumulated during Mr. Merrill's absence have been identified. 

 Current collections made by employees of the Bureaus of Science 

 and Forestry and by various private individuals have been also 

 named and reported. General work on the Philippine flora has 



