May 17, 1901.] 
He exhibited an experiment on the force ex- 
erted in the swelling of seeds; a strong iron 
pipe was filled with peas and water, and a test 
tube inserted in the top. In 24 hours from the 
time the peas were put in, a pressure was regis- 
tered of eight atmospheres, or 120 pounds to 
the square inch, the highest pressure hitherto 
recorded by this means. 
Dr. MacDougal also discussed malformations 
in Arisaema, and showed specimens of A. 
triphyllum with the spathe double or forked, 
with the spadix divided and flattened or pro- 
liferous, and with two leaves from the same . 
petiole. Also A. dracontiwm with the tapering 
end of the spathe divided into double hood-like 
forms. He called attention to the fact that 
early specimens may be infested with a fungous 
growth which causes the hood to stand erect. 
EDWARD S. BURGESS, 
Secretary. 
DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 
THE KEELER MEMORIAL. 
PROFESSOR KEELER’S sad and sudden death 
last August came as a great and unexpected 
shock to his many friends and admirers. Of 
his work and life it is unnecessary to speak here ; 
it has been sympathetically and ably described 
by Campbell, by Hale, by Brashear, by Perrine 
and others. The whole scientific world has 
united to mourn his loss, both as a colleague and 
as a friend. But nowhere has his death been 
more keenly felt than among his many friends 
and associates whom he formed while connected 
with the Allegheny Observatory. It was here 
that he began his scientific career as assistant 
to Professor Langley, and it was here, as Lang- 
ley’s successor, that he subsequently accom- 
plished much of the work that has rendered his 
name famous. 
It seems therefore particularly fitting that the 
new Allegheny Observatory, the first plans for 
which were drawn by Keeler, should contain a 
memorial to his memory. When the news of 
his death was received we arranged to have his 
name placed on the frieze of the new building 
among the names of other great American as- 
tronomers of the past. But some more special 
tribute is needed to mark our appreciation of 
his high attainments as a scholar, of his dis- 
SCIENCE. 
789 
tinguished services not only to our own obser- 
vatory, but to the whole scientific world, and 
last but by no means least to his noble character 
a3 a man. 
Keeler’s last great work, the work upon 
which he was still engaged when death so sud- 
denly cut him down in the prime of life, was 
being carried on with the Crossley reflecting 
telescope, an instrument which for the first time 
under his able management was being made to 
demonstrate its possibilities. It is proposed, 
therefore, to erect the 30-inch reflecting tele- 
scope of the new Allegheny Observatory as a 
peculiarly fitting memorial to his memory ; one 
which he himself would prefer to any monument 
or statue. The suggestion has met with much 
favor among his many friends, and a fund is 
now being raised to carry it into effect. 
We desire to make this memorial a general 
rather than a local tribute to Professor Keeler. 
A number of voluntary subscriptions have al- 
ready been promised, and many of his scientific 
friends and colleagues from other institutions 
have expressed a desire to contribute. We feel 
sure that there are many others that only await 
an opportunity or an invitation to join the move- 
ment, and I have therefore written this notice 
to bring the subject to their attention. Those 
who wish to subscribe to the fund will kindly 
send their names and the amount of their sub- 
scription to Mr. John A. Brashear, chairman of 
the Observatory committee, or to the writer. 
All contributions will be acknowledged from 
time to time in Science. If the fund raised 
exceeds in amount the estimated cost of the 
memorial telescope, which is $10,000,* the bal- 
ance will be used either to found a general 
fellowship for the study of astrophysics, ‘the 
_ Keeler Fellowship,’ or for the award of a 
“Keeler Medal’ for work in the same field, as 
the majority of the contributors may decide ; 
the award in either case to be made by the 
Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of 
America or some other scientific body equally 
representative of general interests, 
We hope all scientific men will join us in this 
effort to do honor to the name of one who did 
‘so much for the advancement of knowledge in 
*Tt isexpected that at least this amount will be 
subscribed here in Pittsburg and Allegheny alone. 
