400 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
THE REPORT of the Imperial Botanic Garden of St. Petersburg for 1903 con- 
tains the following items of general interest: the collection of living plants com- 
prised 34,887 species; during the year there were 40,296 visitors; the herbarium 
ad an accession of 10,808 species (52,421 specimens); the library contained 
14,986 works in 30,952 volumes. Attached to the garden are the biological 
laboratory, the seed-testing station, the central station for plant pathology, and 
the school of horticulture. 
BoTANICAL suByEcTS for the Walker Prizes have been announced as 
follows. For 1905, 1. ‘The life history of any parasitic fungus ;” 2. “‘Contribu- 
tion to our knowledge of the physiology of plants ;” 3. “Study of hybrids in 
animals or plants ;” 4. “Critical study of geographical distribution of species.” 
For 1906, 1. ‘An experimental field study in ecology;” 2. ‘A contribution to 4 
knowledge of the nature of competition in plants ;” 3. “A physiological life his- 
tory of a single species of plants;” 4. “Phylogeny of a group of fossil 
organisms.” Address the secretary, GLovER M. ALLEN, Boston Society of 
Natural History, Boston, Mass. ; 
Tue Experiment Station Record states that the order establishing the soil 
and fertilizer laboratory in the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agri- 
culture, has been abrogated, and in lieu of this laboratory one to be known as 
the plant analysis laboratory has been established. The laboratory is charged 
with the examination of fertilizers and will collaborate in this work with the refer- 
ees of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, and with the investiga- 
gation of the constitution of plants. It is authorized to collaborate with the 
Bureau of Plant Industry in the chemical investigation of problems in which the 
two bureaus are mutually interested.—Science. . 
THE AMERICAN AssocrATION for the Advancement of Science will meet . 
Philadelphia December 27-January 2, and the many affiliated societies AS 
the course of this convocation week. Thus, the eleventh annual meeting of me 
Botanical Society of America is called at this time under aie na 
Freperick V. Covitte. CHARLES R. Barnes, the retiring president, wi 
VécuTING of Tiibingen. On Dec. 28-30, the eighth annual meeting 
Society for Plant Morphology and Physiology will be held. 
Mycological Society will meet in Philadelphia also in the same 
announcements have not yet reached us. re 
There is every indication that these meetings of bot : n 
interest and Penis Among other matters to be considered will a= 
for a union of the botanical societies. Preliminary suggestions ie bi their con- 
have been sent by the committees of conference to at it ulation 
sideration, and the replies received will be used as a basis for the " This 
a definite plan which will be sent to all members before the seen decision 
will then form the basis for the discussion at the meetings and FOF 
for or against a union. 
week, thoug 
anists will be of unusual 
