340 The Botanical Gazette. 
‘A circular recently distributed from the botanical laboratories of 
the University of Minnesota offers the botanical public three ingen- 
ious pieces of apparatus: an electrical auxanometer, a registering bal- 
ance, and a recording apparatus to be used with either of the pre- 
ceding. 
While visiting the botanical laboratories of Wabash College a short 
time since the writer saw a beautifully made apparatus for recording 
root pressure, of which duplicates can probably be obtained shortly. 
There may be other laboratories ot research, fortunate enough to com 
mand the services of skilled mechanics, already contemplating shar- 
ing the results of study and skill with their fellow workers. Certainly 
we should not be surprised to hear of such, now that the method Is 
fairly inaugurated. : 
American botanists are an enthusiastic class, and are credited with 
being well endowed with the proverbial ingenuity of the Yankee, 80 
that having turned their attention to providing their own mechan 
devices for studying plants, many compact and efficient designs m4) 
be confidently anticipated. : d 
The movement is one to be highly commended. It is only secon 
to the supply of suitable text books in its power to advance the inter: 
ests of the science of physiology in the higher institutions of pea 
It is clearly the precursor to more accurate methods of research 1m ; 
several lines requiring close measurement. As such i 
become more common, finer methods will prevail, more ree 
adjusted machines will be demanded, and more ganic: gee 
: whic 
be possible. It is one way, possibly the only way, fe enable them ‘0 
equal those of Europe in the lines of research requring such ad 
Other claims for the wide reaching influence of eae ven 
might be made. It is at least likely to liberalize the prev 6 . 
regarding the requirements for a well equipped laboratory. 
