October 20, 1904] 



NATURE 



607 



is certainly desirable that such investigations should 

 be made, although, in view of the investigations on 

 various species of Bromus and their liability to disease 

 made by Marshall Ward, Salmon, and others, it is 

 doubtful whether mere microscopic investigation of 

 the internal economy will furnish more valuable re- 

 sults than comparative macroscopical study of the 

 haulm and foliage. Great physiological differences 

 mav, on the one hand, exist in conjunction with 

 uniformity of structure, and, on the other hand, great 

 external differences may exist without appreciable 

 phvsiological diversity. 



Some improved method of investigating the nature 

 and construction of the protoplasm seems to be re- 

 quired, and when this is obtained our knowledge of 

 the relation of function to structure will of necessity 

 be much enhanced. At present the three most efficient 

 means of preventing or combating the disease are the 

 production of immune varieties, the use of sulphate 

 of copper in the form of Bordeaux mixture, and the 

 adoption of "high-moulding," by means of which 

 access of the fungus spores to the tubers is at least 

 in part prevented. 



JVOTES. 



We regret to announce that Dr. Selim Lemstrom died at 

 Helsing-fors on October 2, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. 

 Dr. Lemstrom devoted much attention to experimental 

 investigations on the uses of electricity in stimulating the 

 growth of cereals, vegetables, and other plants. 



As already noted in these columns, a distinguished 

 party of French physicians and surgeons has during the 

 past week paid a visit to London in order to become 

 acquainted with our medical schools and hospitals and to 

 study their methods and administration. About 150 gentle- 

 men availed themselves of the opportunity, amongst others 

 M. Lucas Championnifere, Prof. Poirier, Prof. Marie, Prof. 

 Netter, M. Louis Martin, M. Huchard, M. Triboulet, 

 president of the French committee, and Dr. Sillonville, 

 secretary. An English committee, with Sir W. Broadbent 

 as president, Sir T. Barlow and Dr. Dundas Grant as 

 treasurers, and Drs. Dawson Williams and Jobson Home 

 as secretaries, made arrangements for the reception and 

 entertainment of the visitors. Visits were paid to the 

 hospitals, general and special, the physiological laboratories 

 of the University of London, University and King's 

 Colleges, the Lister Institute, the Royal College of 

 Surgeons, cancer research laboratories, the County Council 

 laboratories at Claybury, the London School of Tropical 

 Medicine, and to the Islington Infirmary. The visitors 

 expressed themselves as specially pleased with the order 

 and neatness, the decorations, &c.. and the home-like 

 comfort of the wards of our hospitals. During the visit 

 they were the guests of the editors of the Lancet, Dr. and 

 Mrs. Dundas Grant, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine 

 of the University of London and Mrs. Butlin, and on 

 Wednesday evening, October 12, they were entertained at 

 a farewell banquet at the Hotel Cecil, at which Sir W. 

 Broadbent presided. The chairman, in proposing the 

 health of the King, alluded to His Majesty's interest in 

 hospitals and medical work. The other toasts were the 

 President of the French Republic, and " Welcome and 

 Au revoir," proposed by the chairman; our guests, by Dr. 

 George Ogilvie, responded to by M. Championni^re and 

 Prof. Huchard ; and the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, by 

 Dr. Pye-Smith, responded to by Prof. Poirier, Prof. 

 ChaufTard, and M. Triboulet. The visit has been a great 

 success, and should prove a benefit to both nations. 

 NO. 1825, VOL. 70] 



Reuter reports that the commander of the Neptune 

 Scientific Research Expedition to Hudson Bay and the 

 northern waters has returned to Ottawa with several 

 interesting mementoes of the Franklin Expedition. 



Mr. H. Martin Leake, of Christ's College, Cambridge, 

 has been appointed economic botanist to the Government of 

 the United Provinces, India, and proceeds at once to the 

 botanic gardens, Saharanpur, N.W.P. 



A CONFERENXE of members of the Museums Association 

 and others interested will be held at Warrington on Satur- 

 day afternoon, October 20, for the purpose of discussing 

 subjects of common interest to those concerned in the work 

 of museums, art galleries, and kindred institutions. 



The Electrician announces that a congress for the purpose 

 of discussing the production and application of Rontgen 

 rays will be held in Berlin on April 30, 1905. The occasion 

 is the tenth anniversary of the discovery, and Prof. Rontgen 

 will be present as the guest of honour. 



A COURSE of twelve Swiney lectures on geology will be 

 commenced by Dr. J. S. Flett at the Victoria and .Albert 

 Museum, South Kensington, on Monday, November 7. 

 The subject of the lectures will be " Geology — the Record 

 and its Interpretation." Admission to the course is free. 



The King has consented to give his patronage to the 

 Sanitary Institute, which is carrying on a large work in 

 teaching and examining in hygiene and sanitary science, 

 both in the United Kingdom and in other parts of the 

 Empire. 



At the opening meeting of the new session of the Royal 

 Geographical Society, to be held at the Albert Hall on 

 November 7, Captain Robert F. Scott will deal with the 

 leading features of the National Antarctic Expedition. At 

 subsequent meetings Lieut. Royds will deal with the meteor- 

 ology of the expedition, Mr. Ferrar with the geology. Dr. 

 Wilson with the zoology, and Mr. Bernacchi with the 

 terrestrial magnetism. 



The inaugural meeting of the Association of Economic 

 Biologists will be held at the rooms of the Linnean Society, 

 Burlington House, on Tuesday, November 8, at 3 p.m. All 

 who signify to Mr. W. E. CoUinge, the University, 

 Birmingham, their intention of becoming members before 

 October 31 will constitute the list of original members. 



We learn from a note in the Isle of Man Times that 

 within the last few days the large pond at the biological 

 station and fish hatchery. Port Erin, has been in great part 

 emptied for the purpose of examining the condition of the 

 stock of fish of spawning size and the state of the bottom 

 of the pond. Out of 180 large adult plaice which had been, 

 at various times since the autumn of 1903, deposited therein, 

 168 were safely transferred to the lower supply tank. The 

 condition of these fish was all that could be desired ; they 

 were thick, strong, and well fed ; many were very large. 

 There were also very many young plaice which were hatched 

 at the station last Easter from parents in captivity — the 

 large fish alluded to, and so have been under artificial 

 conditions — made as natural as possible — during the whole 

 of their existence. These young plaice, four to five months 

 old, were from one to four inches long (the large variation 

 in size is noteworthy), active, and well nourished. Some 

 hundreds were picked out for experiment in rearing in small 

 wooden tanks lately fitted up. There were also found some 

 shrimps, some young of the cod tribe, and a small shoal 

 of young herring (whitebait size). All these must have 

 passed through the pumps from the sea, probably in a larval 

 condition. The young plaice examined were found to be 

 feeding mainly on Copepoda. 



