10 SCIENCE 
May 4. ‘‘Drug plants and their cultivation,’’ by 
Dr. H. H. Rusby. 
May 11. ‘‘How to grow fruits in limited 
areas,’’ by Professor M. A. Blake. 
(Exhibition of Flowers, May 11 and 12) 
May 18. ‘‘Fiber plants and their cultivation,’’ 
by Lyster H. Dewey. 
May 25. ‘‘ Women as gardeners,’’ by Delia W. 
Marble. 
June 1. ‘‘Diseases of garden crops and their 
eontrol,’’ by Dr. Mel. T. Cook. 
June 8. ‘‘Insect pests and their control,’’ by 
iDr. F, J. Seaver. 
"Pre following lecture course was given by 
the Illinois Audubon Society during March. 
March 9, Ernest Harold Baynes, Meriden, 
N. H., “ Birds in the nesting season.” March 
16, Norman McClintock, Pittsburgh, Pa., 
“ Moving pictures of wild birds and animals.” 
March 23, Edward Howe Forbush, Boston, 
Mass., “How birds help to win the war.” 
March 30, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Ithaca, N. 
Y., “Birds and their conservation.” 
Tr is related in Nature that the staff of the 
Natural History Museum, London, has been 
of assistance to various public departments 
in connection with the war. The following 
are examples of some of the questions which 
its members have been asked to answer: (1) 
nature of some organisms which caused block- 
ing up of certain sea-water pipes; (2) as to 
some mite-infested oats at the front; (3) ap- 
plication of a remedy for the rice weevil in 
connection with the disease of beriberi; (4) 
as to methods of destruction of bedbugs; (5) 
the identification of specimens of larvae found 
in drinking water; (6) nature of wood used 
in the construction of a propeller of a Zeppelin 
brought down in this country; (7) inquiries 
as to certain wood stated to possess luminous 
properties; (8) questions arising out of the 
Canadian commission to consider the alleged 
depredations of sea lions on the Pacific coasts 
of North America, in connection with the 
fishing and canning industries; (9) identifica- 
tion of certain animal forms of tinned food, 
such as Pacific lobsters, sardines or sprats; 
(10) the identification of poisonous fishes in 
the West Indies; (11) the sponge fishery in 
the West Indies, and (12) the introduction of 
[N. 8. Vou. XLVIII. No. 1227 
reindeer and other animals into South 
Georgia. 
Tue Osiris prize of the value of $20,000 was 
founded for the recognition of the most im- 
partant discovery or work in science, letters, 
arts, industries, or generally anything for the 
public benefit. The prize has been held in 
abeyance since the beginning of the war, but 
the Institute of France has decided to make 
an award this year. 
Proressor Henry CHANDLER Cow Lgs, of the 
department of botany at the University of Chi- 
cago, recently gave the annual address at Iowa 
State College for the national honorary socie- 
ties Phi Kappa Phi and Gamma Sigma Delta. 
Tur Royal Society of Canada recently 
closed its thirty-seventh yearly meeting at 
Ottawa, Canada. There was an unusually 
large number of papers presented in all sec- 
tions of the society, including those in the 
mathematical, physical and chemical, as well 
as the biological and zoological sciences. Ab- 
stracts of papers and discussions are expected 
in a forthcoming issue of SCIENCE. 
It is announced in Nature that Mr. W. B. 
Randall of Waltham Cross, has generously 
provided funds for the establishment of a new 
research post at the Rothamsted Experimental 
Station, and the committee has appointed Mrs. 
D. J. Matthews (formerly Miss Isgrove) to oc- 
cupy it. Mrs. Matthews will devote herself to 
the study of some of the problems connected 
with soil sterilization as it is now being ecar- 
ried out in certain types of nurseries. 
On the initiative of Professor Gradenigo 
stations of psycho-physiological research on 
the effects of aviation have lately been founded 
at Turin and Naples. They are chiefly in- 
tended for the examination of candidates for 
service as air pilots. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
NEWS 
Coneress has passed a vocational training 
bill which, carrying an appropriation of 
$2,000,000, provides for an elaborate system of 
educating soldiers in trades. It provides for 
the teaching of more than 3800 vocations. 
While a soldier is undergoing training he is to 
