190 
of possible value to the physiologist are tenta- 
tively suggested. 
The detailed description of the study will ap- 
pear at an early date in the ‘ Report of the Field 
Operations of the Division of Soils for 1900.’ 
T. H. Kearney discussed ‘The Effect of Al- 
kali Salts on the Growth of Seedling Plants,’ 
describing a series of experiments conducted 
with the assistance of Dr. F. K, Cameron of the 
Division of Soils, Department of Agriculture, 
in order to ascertain the relative injurious ef- 
fects upon plants of the salts characteristic of 
the so-called ‘alkali’ lands of the Western 
States. The salts employed were Na2Cos, 
MgS0O.1, MgClo, NasSOu, NaHC.O3, NaCl, CaClo 
and CaS.O4, enumerated in the order of their 
toxicity so far ascertained; the first of these 
was the most harmful. Solutions were made 
in each case on the basis of a normal solution, 
that is, of the equivalent in grams per liter 
of the reacting weight of each salt. Young 
seedlings of Lupinus albus were selected for 
these experiments because of their sensitiveness 
to toxic substances, and because when proper 
conditions of germination are maintained their 
clear, straight radicles are admirably adapted 
to recording the rate of growth and other 
changes. The importance of continuing the 
investigations with other plants of widely dif- 
ferent relationships was nevertheless empha- 
sized. 
One experiment was made with water 
heavily charged with COs, in order to ascertain 
whether the H ions set free by the dissociation 
of the hypothetical H;CO3 might not prove 
toxic to the radicles. No harmful effect was 
obtained. 
CaCo3 and even MgCo3, added in powdered 
form to solutions of NaCl and NaoSOu, tended 
to neutralize the injurious effects of those salts. 
Still more marked was the influence of CaSOu, 
when added to very toxic solutions of NaCl, in 
checking the action of the latter. 
Solutions of many of those salts, e. g., Na2Cos, 
_ NasSO, and CaClr, when of a dilution well be 
low the toxic limit, served as actual stimuli to 
growth. 
O. F. Cook presented a paper on ‘The 
Origin of the Cocoa Nut,’ prefacing his re- 
marks with the statement that the origin of 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Vou. XIII. No. 318. 
many of our domesticated plants was unknown, 
and in other cases obscure. It was exten- 
sively believed that the cocoa nut was a native 
of Asia and introduced into tropical America, 
but the speaker showed by quotations from 
early Spanish writers that it was here at the 
time of the discovery of America. De Can- 
dolle’s reasons for and against the American 
origin of the cocoa palm were critically re- 
viewed and the conclusion reached that the 
objections to the American origin could be 
successfully combated. 
Attention was drawn to the fact that, con- 
trary to universal belief, the cocoa nut could not 
withstand exposure to salt water, and that it 
was not likely that so delicate a palm had re- 
ceived its wide distribution by any other than 
human agency. Finally Mr. Cook stated his 
belief that the cocoa palm had its origin in 
some of the valleys on the western slopes of the 
Andes and had travelled westward in company 
with man. 
F, A. Lucas. 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
AT the 528th meeting, held January 19th, 
Mr. L. A. Fischer read ‘A Brief History of the 
Office of Standard Weights and Measures.’ He 
said the office had grown up under the neces- 
sity of providing uniform standards of weight 
and measure for the custom houses. In 1836 
copies of these standards were ordered to be 
furnished to the several States. In 1866 the 
office was directed to supply copies of metric 
standards, and still later it has been charged 
with verifying polariscopes and instruments for 
electrical measurements. 
Mr. A. L. Day, now of the Geological Sur- 
vey, gave an interesting account of the de- 
velopment, organization and work of ‘The 
Physikalische-Technische Reichsanstalt’ of Ber- 
lin, in which he was engaged for several years. 
Mr. S. W. Stratton, by invitation, spoke on 
‘The Proposed Standardizing Bureau,’ giving 
a résumé of the plans and of the means taken 
to bring the subject before Congress, and read- 
ing from printed reports some of the arguments 
made before committees. 
CHARLES K. WEAD, 
Secretary. 
