282 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVI. No. 1186 



near the coast apple scab may winter on the 

 twigs of susceptible varieties such as Fameuse 

 and Mcintosh as a dormant stroma and pro- 

 duce abundant conidia in the spring. It also 

 confirms Morse and DarroVs conclusion that 

 under certain conditions and with certain 

 varieties of apples diseased twigs and water 

 sprouts may be an important factor in the 

 propagation and spread of the disease. 



Mr. J. S. Dash when a senior student at 

 Macdonald College devoted some time to the 

 study of apple scab and the results of his 

 studies were embodied in an unpublished paper 

 now in the college library. He collected scabby 

 apples early in the spring that had lain under 

 the snow all winter and found that about five 

 to ten per cent, of the conidia germinated. 



On IN'ovember 27 of the present year the 

 ■writer collected scabby apples that had lain 

 under the trees after their fall without protec- 

 tion of any kind. During late fall and early 

 winter the temperature fell below the freezing 

 point fifteen times, rising above during the 

 day. There were two periods of severe frost 

 followed by mild weather, the minimum tem- 

 perature of the first being 11° F. and of the 

 second on November 26 being 1° F. Conidia 

 were abundant on the scab spots and these 

 were placed in hanging drops of distilled 

 water. The spores germinated freely and vig- 

 orously and in twenty-four hours showed 

 many germ tubes over 100 microns in length. 

 By count of the spores present in a number of 

 microscopic fields in several hanging drops it 

 was found that over 26 per cent, had germi- 

 nated. Only those with well-developed germ 

 tubes were counted. The conidia were ex- 

 amined immediately after being placed in the 

 distilled water, and there could be no doubt 

 whatever that the germ tubes had developed 

 while in the water. 



It would seem from these observations that 

 the conidia are more resistant to low tempera- 

 tures than is generally supposed. As material 

 is available it is hoped to carry on further ex- 

 periments along this line during the winter 

 and spring. "W. P. Fraser 



IiIacdonald College, 

 Quebec 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



BARON DAIROKU KIKUCHI 



Baron Daieoku Kikuchi died suddenly at 

 his villa at Chigasaki, Japan, on August 19. 

 Baron Kikuchi was graduated from the Uni- 

 versity of Cambridge, England, with the rank 

 of " wrangler." He became professor of mathe- 

 matics in the Imperial University at Tokyo 

 and later its president. He was for a time the 

 Imperial Minister of Education and a member 

 of the Emperor's Privy Comicil at the time of 

 his death. 



He was active and influential in the organi- 

 zation of the Japanese National Academy of 

 Sciences, the National Educational Associa- 

 tion and in the development of all the scien- 

 tific and educational interests of the empire. 

 He was the author of many contributions to 

 scientific journals and several books, including 

 a notable volume on "Japanese Education," 

 consisting of a series of lectures delivered at 

 the University of London in 1907. Baron 

 Kikuchi made several visits to the United 

 States, lecturing in our principal cities and at 

 several of our leading institutions of learning. 

 He was looking forward to another visit to 

 America in the very near future, and his many 

 friends in this country will learn of his death 

 with profound regret. 



THE PRODUCTION OF POTASH IN THE UNITED 

 STATES 



More potash has been produced during the 

 first six months of 1917 than was made during 

 the entire year 1916. The reports received by 

 the United States Geological Survey, Depart- 

 ment of the Interior, have been reduced to 

 terms of the commercial unit commonly used 

 to measure the available or water-soluble pot- 

 ash (K„0) in the product, and only material 

 actually sold by the producer during this 

 period is included. The weight of the mate- 

 rials handled was therefore much greater than 

 represented by these figures. 



This table includes practically all potash 

 produced. 



The Nebraska alkali lakes still lead, having 

 yielded about one third the entire production. 

 There are now at least four important opera- 

 tors in this field. 



