Apeil 30, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



693 



and unassuming, but of an affectionate, genial 

 disposition, and was greatly beloved by all 

 ■wbo knew bim. His learning and knowledge 

 were vast, and very wide in tbeir scope. He 

 never spoke hastily nor too much, and bis 

 opinion on a subject was always wortb having. 

 In my long association with him I have often 

 felt the truth of Emerson's words : " Converse 

 with a mind that is grandly simple, and litera- 

 ture looks like word catching." 



The sudden death of this great and good 

 man came as an irreparable loss not only to 

 the community but to the whole scientific 

 world. George J. Hough 



We see the better issue from the strife, 



And hope the best. In loathsome crawling things 

 We feel the fluttering of jeweled wings. 



In nature's score, with seeming discords rife. 

 We seek to read, with you, the note that brings 



To harmony the jarring chords of life. 



DINNER TO PROFESSOR RAMSAY WRIGHT 

 The old pupils and colleagues of Professor 

 Eamsay Wright, of the University of Toronto, 

 joined in celebrating the completion of his 

 thirty-fifth year of service in the university 

 by tendering him a complimentary banquet 

 and address on April 15. The chair was 

 taken by Professor J. Playfair McMurrich, 

 the toast to the university was proposed by 

 Professor F. E. Lillie, of the University of 

 Chicago, that to the guest of the evening by 

 Dr. T. MacCrae, of the Johns Hopkins Uni- 

 versity, and the address was presented by 

 Professor A. B. Macallum. A number of 

 letters from distinguished colleagues of other 

 universities were read, all of which bore 

 ample testimony to the value of the services 

 rendered by Professor Wright in the develop- 

 ment of the biological sciences in Canada, in 

 the elevation of the standards of medical edu- 

 cation and in the constant maintenance, both 

 by example and precept, of the highest ideals 

 of scholarly attainments. A pleasing inci- 

 dent of the banquet was the reading of a 

 Latin ode composed for the occasion by Pro- 

 fessor Maurice Hutton, and of a sonnet by 

 Professor W. H. Ellis, which follows: 



Prom Scotland's mists across the sea you bore 

 The sacred fire (kindled by him whose name 

 Has made the century famous with his fame). 



And bid our lamp burn brighter than before. 



Upon our tree, a branch from Scotland's shore 

 You grafted, and behold, our tree became 

 Wanton in leafage; with blossoms all aflame; 



Deep rooted ; and with boughs to heaven that soar. 



THE SHAW SCHOOL OF BOTANY 

 The recently issued administrative report 

 of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and an an- 

 nouncement of Washington University con- 

 cerning the Henry Shaw School of Botany, 

 indicate that the Shaw foundation is on the 

 eve of entering upon a much increased ac- 

 tivity. Although Henry Shaw in 1885 en- 

 dowed a school of botany in Washington 

 University, to the head of which Professor 

 Trelease was called from the University of 

 Wisconsin, the provision made was practically 

 for only a chair of botany. Four years later, 

 on the death of Mr. Shaw, his fortune, ap- 

 praised at several million dollars, passed to 

 the care of trustees, for the maintenance of 

 his long established and well known garden 

 and the further development of an institution 

 of research and instruction in botany and 

 allied sciences; the head of the School of 

 Botany being selected as its director. 



In the twenty years that have since passed, 

 the trustees of the Shaw estate have been 

 compelled to administer their trust on a main- 

 tenance basis, seeing approximately a quarter 

 of their gross income absorbed in general 

 taxes and nearly as much more claimed for 

 street improvements, sewers and similar pur- 

 poses, a large part of which were entailed by 

 the possession of extensive tracts of unim- 

 proved real estate within the city limits. 

 Meantime, the revenue of the School of 

 Botany has sufficed for scarcely more than 

 meeting the undergraduate needs of the imi- 

 versity. Nevertheless, maintenance of the 

 garden has been made to include the provi- 

 sion of a good equipment in living plants (11,- 

 464 forms), herbarium (618,872 specimens) 

 and library (58,538 books and pamphlets). 

 A part of the time of otherwise indispensable 

 employees has been given to botanical in- 

 vestigation, the results of which are published 

 in a series of annual reports begun in 1890, 



