136 REPORTS ON INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS. 



BOTANY. 



Bufbanfc, Luther, Santa Rosa, California. Grant No. 310. Expcrivients in 

 plant development. (For previous report see Year Book No. 4, p. 125.) 



$10,000. 



Most strangely and most fortunately the great earthquake of April 18, 

 1906, which leveled the whole business section of this city in a few seconds, 

 did no damage whatever to the greenhouse or to any of the plants. 



Though in the very heart of destruction, not a pane of glass was cracked, 

 not a leaf was broken, not a plant injured ; even the rows of trees and plants 

 at the Sebastopol farm, though in some places moved 4 feet out of line, were 

 in no case injured in the least. 



The work of crossing and the continual selection of promising variations 

 continues as before, and an unusual number of new species and varieties of 

 wild and locally known plants have been received and are being carefully 

 inspected for characters of value either for economic or scientific purposes. 

 Five hundred and twenty-two native species and varieties were received 

 from native collectors in South America, 241 from Australia and New 

 Zealand, and nearly 200 from various other parts of the world, among them 

 many promising new types of Solanums, Opuntias, native wild fruits and 

 vegetables, locally known and medicinal plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers, 

 nearly all from seeds, thus obviating danger of insect pests and greatly 

 lessening the expense and giving a better opportunity for selection by having 

 greater numbers. 



Some necessary draining has been done at the farm in spots too wet for 

 cultivation, and the Home grounds have been made level and formed into 

 raised beds to prevent the destruction of valuable plants by winter rains as 

 formerly and to economize water used in summer irrigation. 



Help to carry on the work is as usual the principal expense, but I now 

 have loyal, intelligent helpers, so that nothing is wasted or lost by careless- 

 ness and inefficiency. The work is gradually being systematized and adapted 

 to the new plans. It is perhaps not necessary to go into particulars here, 

 but specially great progress is being made with the Opuntias, plums, nuts, 

 and berries, among all of which unequaled opportunities for the study of 

 scientific laws and principles have developed. 



Blafceslee, Albert F*, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Grant 



No. 340. Investigation of sexuality in lower fungi. (For previous report 



see Year Book No. 4, p. 275.) $1,000. 



Abstract of Report. — Investigations on the germination of zygospores 



begun the year previous have given certain definite results, which may be 



summarized as follows : 



(i) The zygospores of the Mucorineae require a longer or shorter period 

 of rest before they become capable of germination. 



