62 2 WENT 



Erwin Smith recognized the importance of crown gall in the study of normal 

 and abnormal growth, and Braun, Riker, and many others have fully taken 

 advantage of its excellence as experimental material. Microbiology has pro- 

 vided an inordinately great amount of stimulation to plant physiology, partly 

 in connection with the biochemical reactions of the higher plant, and partly 

 through the masterful studies of Van Niel on the photosynthetic bacteria, 

 showing that HoS or organic compounds perform the same function in the 

 green and purple sulfur bacteria as water performs in higher plant photo- 

 synthesis, namely, that of a hydrogen donor. 



Prompt and complete publication is an important prerequisite for the de- 

 velopment of science. Throughout the 50 years under consideration the 

 Botanical Gazette has nobly performed the function of an outlet for plant 

 physiological papers. From 1914 on it was assisted by the American Journal 

 of Botany, and 9 years later the establishment of Plant Physiology as the 

 official publication of the American Society of Plant Physiologists provided 

 a further outlet for publication. Whereas during the first years of their co- 

 existence there was a keen sense of competition between the two botanical 

 societies, at present there is complete cooperation between the Physiological 

 Section of the Botanical Society of America and the American Society of 

 Plant Physiologists, as evidenced by their joint programs at local and national 

 meetings and the overlapping membership. In spite of the gradually expanding 

 publication facilities for plant physiology in the U.S.A., the whole publication 

 system is due for a thorough overhaul. Restrictive editorial policies are forcing 

 an increasing number of American investigators to publish in foreign journals. 

 If we are in a position to support research, we also should be able to support 

 its publication. 



Another aspect of publication is of paramount importance in the develop- 

 ment of a science: textbooks. During the first quarter of this century trans- 

 lated textbooks such as those of Maximow or Palladin provided plant physi- 

 ological information to students, whereas the big textbook of Pfeffer gave 

 more details. The first extensive textbook of plant physiology published in 

 America was that of Miller. Its emphasis on nutritional plant physiology re- 

 flected the significance of this branch in the U.S.A., but it was severely lacking 

 in information about the responses of plants to their surroundings. Meyer and 

 Anderson in 1939 provided a well-balanced text, which has done American 

 plant physiology a signal service. But there is obviously the need for a more 

 extensive and more detailed handbook. 



The enormous growth of plant physiology during the last 50 years has been 

 paralleled by the growth of research facilities. In most places plant physi- 

 ology is housed in the buildings of the Botany or Biology departments, but 

 there are also special laboratories for plant physiology. To mention just a 

 few: the University of Iowa has a well-appointed laboratory built under the 

 guidance of Dr. Loehwing. At the University of Chicago the Barnes Labora- 



