FOREWORD 



hy M. J. SiRKS, Ph.D. 



President, International Union of Biological Sciences 

 Genetisch Instituut der Rijksuniversiteit, Haren near Groningen, Netherlands 



The 'promotion of international cooperation Toy the organization of sym- 

 posia in special fields of limited scope is one of the many tasks the Inter- 

 national Union of Biological Sciences has undertaken. Our large inter- 

 national congresses, important as they are for science and scientists, often 

 do not offer enough opportunity Qand they should perhaps not endeavour 

 to do so') for extensive discussions hy workers in various special fields. 



The Bureau of the International Union of Biological Sciences is greatly 

 indebted to Dr. Ogg, the Director of the Rothamsted Experimental Station, 

 for the kind hospitality offered hy his great station to the contributors to 

 this, our first symposium, to Professor Wallace of Long Ashtcm, who col- 

 lected the papers delivered by the members and prepared the notes report- 

 ing on the discussions, and to Dr. Verdoorn, Botanical Secretary of the 

 I.U.B.S. and Managing Editor of Chronica Botanica, who, with other mem- 

 bers of the editorial board of Chronica Botanica, prepared the manuscript 

 and illustrations for press and produced this volume in his new serial, 

 "LoTSYA — A Biological Miscellany." 



I trust that this symposium will be welcomed by those who are inter- 

 ested in recent advances in our knowledge of the fascinating rdle of trace 

 elements in pure and applied biology. 



