454 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—K, L. 
Wednesday, September 14. 
21, Discussion on The Quantitative Analysis of Plant Growth. 
(a) Dr. W. Li. Batts —General Introduction; the Average Plant Pre- 
determination, etc. 
(b) Mr. G. E. Brices, Dr. F. Kipp, and Dr. C. West.—A Quantila- 
tive Study of the Growth of Helianthus annuus. 
(c) Prof. J. H. Priestury and Miss Frepa EversHep.—A Quantita- 
tive Study of the Growth of Roots. 
The results of the quantitative study of the weight of roots produced upon 
various cuttings were reported. They appear to offer an interpretation of Sachs’ 
grand period of growth which was based on measurement of length. Corre- 
lation is shown between rate of increase in weight and production of branch 
roots. 
22, Prof. Frirscu.—The Moisture Relations of Terrestrial Alga. 
SECTION L.—EDUCATION. 
(For references to the publication elsewhere of communications entered in 
the following list of transactions, see p. 467.) 
Thursday, September 8. 
1, Mr. J. Don and Mr. Jas. Gricor.—The Preference of Pupils in 
Subjects of Study. 
The materials for this investigation were collected in 1919, and relate 
to pupils at the Intermediate stage in the Higher Grade Schools of the West 
of Scotland. In all, tests were made in 93 schools, comprising 1,858 boys and 
1,762 girls. The method adopted was to ask the pupils to write down the five 
subjects, English, Mathematics, French, Drawing, and Science, and thereafter 
to place the number 1 after the subject they liked best, the number 2 after 
the second best, and so on. Taking the combined vote of both sexes, it is found 
that the order of preference is English, Science, Drawing, Mathematics, French, 
but boys and girls show some differences in their preferences. The former 
have a decided aversion from French, for 60 per cent. of them place it fourth 
or fifth. On the cther hand, they rate Science slightly higher than English, 
and Drawing stands third. Girls put both Science and Mathematics at the 
end of their choice, Science being actually lowest. Wery wide divergences are 
found in the votes for first place, English, for example, receiving 1,077 marks 
and French only 547. Similarly, French is put lowest by 1,208 pupils and 
English by 273. For the second place English, Science, and Drawing are close 
rivals. while Mathematics, Science, and Drawing compete with almost level 
scores for the fourth position. In fact, it would seem that after having made 
their first and last selections pupils are less decided in their expression of 
preferences, but girls are more discriminating than boys. Whatever subject 
is put first, English in general is never far behind, but, except where English 
comes first, French comes out badly. With -Mathematics first, Science takes 
second place, and those who put Science forernost choose English for the second 
position. The data collected afford some insight into the question of affinity 
between subjects of study. Postulating that if two subjects are placed con- 
tiguously, say first and second, second and third, and so on, there is in the 
mind of the pupil an affinity of liking or indifference, or dislike, it is found 
that the couple English-French comes out highest and Mathematics-Science next 
in order. Drawing goes fairly well with English or Science or Mathematics. 
Boys with a taste for Mathematics or Science have very little liking for French. 
