256 
erystals are spherical aggregates of crystals 
with sharp angular contours, which are 
made up of but one substance and include 
various calcium salts, alkaloids, glucosides, 
ete. 
The spherites resemble somewhat the 
sphere crystals, but are distinguished from 
them by the fact that the molecule is com- 
plex and the individual crystals have either 
a somewhat rounded outline or are im- 
bedded in colloidal substances in which the 
crystalline or crystalloidal character is more 
or less obscured and hence with difficulty 
discerned. These include inulin, starch 
and the principal substances entering into 
the composition of the cell wall. The 
spherites are further distinguished from the 
sphere crystals in that they are capable of 
taking up or holding certain coloring prin- 
cipals as safranin, gentian, violet, ete. 
The mode of formation of spherites and 
sphere crystals appears to be the same 
whether observed in nature or as carried 
out artificially by crystallization of salts 
from solutions or by precipitation, and 
hence the conclusion is reached that there 
is a play of similar forces in their forma- 
tion. 
An examination of the crystal masses 
remaining in watch crystals after the spon- 
taneous evaporation of various substances 
under varying conditions, shows not only the 
formation of crystals which resemble those 
produced in the plant cell, but other rather 
striking forms of combination which are 
verysuggestive indeed. Indeed the arrange- 
ment of the crystals in such a watch crys- 
tal reminds one of the appearance of our 
woods, at this season of the year, when the 
absence of leaves permits the observance 
of the fundamental lines of development 
in shrubs and trees. 
The Cardinal Principles of Morphology: PRo- 
rEessor W. F. Ganone, Smith College. 
Although in most of its phases botany is 
SCIENCE. 
[N. 8. Vou. XIII. No. 320. 
making remarkable advances in America, 
it is still in one respect very backward, 
namely, in the morphology of the higher 
plants. Not only is little research being 
carried on in this direction, but it is still 
treated, particularly in its teaching, in the 
old formal idealistic manner, with little of 
the modern realistic spirit which the re- 
search of the past quarter century has in- 
fused into it elsewhere. The characteris- 
tics of the two systems, which differ less 
in fact than in point of view, are con- 
trasted, and the attempt made to reduce 
these characteristics to definite named 
principles. Of these principles the author 
recognizes seven, in five of which the two 
systems do not differ materially, but in the 
other two they differ greatly. Theseare, the 
principle of metamorphosis by transforma- 
tion or alteration as contrasted with meta- 
morphosis by differentiation, a principle 
which is fundamental with the modern 
school of morphologists of which Goebel is 
the leader, and the principle of the exist- 
ence of degrees of morphological rank cul- 
minating in morphological independence to 
which any part may attain. On this prin- 
ciple any part may become a center of vari- 
ation and modification, and hence a true 
morphological member, and the number of 
members is not limited to three or four for 
the higher plant, as generally taught by 
us, but is indefinite. 
Relation of Water-plants to the Solid Substratum: 
R. H. Ponp, Maryland Agricultural Col- 
lege. (By invitation. ) 
Many of our well known text-books con- 
tain the statement that the roots of water 
plants serve for attachment only ; that the 
function of absorption is unnecessary be- 
cause transpiration is absent and the plant 
is bathed in a nutrient solution. 
The evidence now at hand seems to re- 
quire a modification of this statement. 
Six of our common and widely distributed 
