SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; K. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, 



Astronomy ; T. C. Mendenbtall, Physics ; E. H. Thdeston, Engineering ; Ira Eemsbn, Chemistry ; 



Joseph Le Conte, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Henry F. Osboen, Paleontology ; 



W. K. Brooks, C. Hart Merkiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scuddbr, Entomology ; C. E. Bessey, 



N. L. Beitton, Botany ; C. S. MiNOT, Embryology, Histology ; H. P. Bowditoh, 



Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; William H. Welch, Pathology ; 



J. McKeen'Cattbll, Psychology ; J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, November 23, 1900. 



CONTENTS: 



The Association of American Agricultural Colleges 

 and Experiment Stations: Dr. A. C. True 817 



Becmit Work on Ifollmks : Dr. Wm. H. Dall 822 



Bichter and the Periodic System : President F. P. 

 Vbnable 825 



Vertebral Formula of Diplodocus {Harsh) : Dr. J. 

 B. Hatcher 828 



Plant Geography of North America, III. : — 



The Lower Austral Element in the Flora of the 

 Southern Appalachian Region : Thos. H. Kear- 

 ney, JR 830 



Scientific Books ; — 



Gauss and the non-Euclidean Geometry : Profes- 

 sor George Bruce Halsted 842 



Scientific Journals and Articles 846 



Societies and Academies : — 



Tlie National Academy of Sciences. New York 

 Section of the American Chemical Society: Dr. Du- 

 RAND Woodman. Section of Astronomy, Phys- 

 ics and Chemistry of the New York Academy of 

 Sciences: Dr. William S. Day 848 



Discussion and Correspondence : — • 



A Disclaimer : PROFESSOR J. MARK BALDWIN 

 AND Others 850 



Current Notes on Meteorology : — 

 A Recent Study of Eclipse Meteorology, National 

 Geographic Magazine ; The Cape Horn Passage ; 

 Underground Temperatures during a Hot Wave in 

 South Australia : Professor E. DbC. Ward... 850 



Botanical Notes : — 



Tlie Powdery Mildews ; Plant Breeding ; The But- 

 tercup Family ; Red Cedar Diseases ; Professor 

 Charles E. Bessey 852 



Scientific Notes and Neius 854 



University and Educational News 855 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Profes- 

 sor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN AGRICUL- 

 TURAL COLLEGES AND EXPERI- 

 MENT STATIONS. 



The fourteenth annual convention of the 

 Association of American Agricultural Col- 

 leges and Experiment Stations was held at 

 New Haven and Middletown, Connecticut, 

 November 13th-15th. Most of the sessions 

 were held in the assembly room of the 

 Sheffield Scientific School of Yale Univer- 

 sity, where the delegates had the pleasure 

 of meeting President Hadley, who delivered 

 a short address. Professor W. H. Brewer, 

 of the Sheffield Scientific School, and Dr. 

 E. H. Jenkins, of the Connecticut Experi- 

 ment Station, actively promoted the com- 

 fort of the delegates and the business of the 

 convention. The Association went to Con- 

 necticut this year especially to celebrate the 

 twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of 

 the Connecticut State Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station. The colleges and stations 

 of all sections of the country were repre- 

 sented. 



The report of the Executive Committee 

 pointed out that Congress had recognized 

 the importance of the land-grant colleges 

 to the country in a notable way during the 

 past year by providing that when the pro- 

 ceeds of the sale of public lands were in- 

 sufficient to meet the annual appropriations 

 for these institutions, the deficiency should 

 be met by direct appropriations from the 

 National Treasury. 



