880 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXI. No. 805 



earning ability as composed of functional, tech- 

 nical and competing ability, and giving a specific 

 value to each one of the elements of which the 

 bodily organization was composed. 



Papers read by title or by abstract were one 

 by E. L. Blackshear, of Prairie View, Texas, on 

 the " American Negro," and another by Alberto 

 Pectorino on " South European Immigration." 

 John Fbanklin Crowell, 



Acting Secretary 



New York 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The sixty-second regular meeting of the society 

 was held at the Ebbitt House, April 23, 1910, at 

 eight o'clock p.m.; President Wm. A. Taylor pre- 

 sided. Robert A. Young and Harry B. Shaw 

 were elected to membership. The following papers 

 were read: 

 Characteristic Floral Regions of Utah: Ivae 



TiDESTEOM. 



With the exception of the region about St. 

 George and possibly along the Colorado River, 

 Uuah may be divided into the following floral 

 regions: the river or swamp area, Scirpetum; 

 the desert or mesa, Sareohatetum; the foothills, 

 including the lower canon, Quercetum; the aspen 

 region, Populnetum; the fir region, Abietum; 

 there is no strictly alpine region. 



The first mentioned region, Scirpetum, is char- 

 acterized by Scirpus occidentalis, which forms 

 dense colonies in places and can be distinguished 

 at some distance by its dark green aspect. There 

 are numerous other aquatic or swamp plants, but 

 the rush is characteristic of the area. 



The second region has a number of character- 

 istic plants, among which abound species of 

 Chrysothamnus and Atroplex, which cover large 

 areas in places. The greasewood, however, is the 

 most characteristic plant of that region, particu- 

 larly in the saline areas. 



In the foothill region are found the pinon and 

 the Utah cedar, and in the caiions, Quercus Utah- 

 ensis. The latter is a shrub found at an altitude 

 approximately between 1,500 m. and 2,000 m., 

 and characterizes the Quercetum. In this region 

 there occur a number of shrubs, such as Pera- 

 phyllum, Cercocarpus and others. 



On the lower mountain sides Populus tremu- 

 loides forms a distinct belt. This region is very 

 distinguishable from a distance, especially in the 

 autumn when the leaves of the aspen have turned 

 to a golden yellow, and it is bordered above and 



below by the dark cedars or piSons, with the still 

 darker firs above. The aspens ascend the moun- 

 tain sides to about 2,850 m. and higher under 

 favorable circumstances. Mingled with the as- 

 pens and ascending above to 3,000 m. or higher, 

 we find the Englemann spruce and the alpine fir. 

 Both of these trees reach a considerable height 

 in protected places but on the high ridges and 

 summits they are sometimes reduced to mere 

 shrubs. 



Arbens lasiocarpa is the characteristic tree of 

 the Ahietum. 



Apparent Mutations in Soil Bacteria: Kabl 



Keixeeman. 

 Agricultural Conditions in the Panama Canal 



Zone: Wm. A. Tatloe. 



A general account of the agriculture of the 

 Canal Zone as seen by the writer in a recent visit 

 to that region. The primitive methods in vogue 

 were illustrated by numerous photographs. 



W. W. Stockbeegee, 

 Corresponding Secretary 



THE AMEEICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 

 NEW TOKK SECTION 



The eighth regular meeting of the session of 

 1909-10 was held at the Chemists' Club on Fri- 

 day, May 6. 



Professor Julius Stieglitz, of the University of 

 Chicago, gave a talk on the " Electrolytic Theory 

 of Oxidation and Reduction." This address was a 

 logical and well-rounded application of the elec- 

 trolytic theory to all classes of oxidation— by 

 salts, by oxygen, by air, by nitric acid, by per- 

 manganate, etc., incluamg oxidation of organic 

 substances like sugar and formaldehyde. The 

 main purpose was to show that this theory can 

 be used in elementary chemistry and as a work- 

 ing basis in any chemist's every-day ideas of 

 oxidation, without any difficulty whatever. The 

 address was illustrated by numerous lecture table 

 experiments. 



Preceding Professor Stieglitz's address, the fol- 

 lowing papers were read: 



" On the Action of Crushed Quartz upon Nitrate 

 Solutions," Harrison E. Patten. 



" Stilbazoles in the Quinazoline Group," G. D. 

 Beal and M. T. Bogert. 



" Estimation of Iodine in Organic Compounds 

 and other Halogens," A. F. Seeker and W. E. 

 Mathewson. 



C. M. Joyce, 



