July 21, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



87 



ish substance lias been obtained which on anal- 

 ysis shows the formula PrjO/H„0. This 

 tetroxide is insoluble in water, but readily 

 decomposed by acids, giving the normal salts 

 of praeseodymium. 



On the Simplicity of Prceseodymium : Charles 

 Baskervillr and G. M. MacNider. 

 Unsuccessful efforts were made to fraction 

 praeseodymium by fractional precipitation at 

 different temperatures with oxalic acid, fusion 

 with sodium dioxide, fractional solution of 

 the dioxide and tetroxide in hydrochloric acid. 

 The fractionation was followed by an examin- 

 ation of solutions of uniform strength, acidity 

 and amount by means of a Zeiss comparison 

 spectrometer. 



Artificial Willemite: Charles Baskerville 



and A. Bourgougnon. 



Artificial zinc ortho-silicate made of pure 

 material neither fluoresces nor phosphoresces 

 under the influence of the ultra-violet light. 

 On the introduction of small amounts of 

 manganese, bismuth and thorium various re- 

 sults were obtained. All of these bodies .are 

 phosphorescent; only that one containing the 

 manganese is fluorescent. 



The Production of Boron CarMde from Boric 

 Oxide in the Electric Furnace: H. J. Bliss 

 and S. A. Tucker. 



The extreme hardness of this substance 

 might give it certain uses as an abrasive. The 

 authors showed that it could be prepared di- 

 rectly from boric acid and coke in large quan- 

 tities, whereas hitherto boron has been used 

 for the preparation. The existence of Mupl- 

 hauser's BC was shown to be extremely doubt- 

 ful and is probably a mixture of graphite and 

 B.C. 



Isomeric Ethers in the Qinazoline Group: H. 



A. Seil and M. T. Bogert. 



The isomerism in this group depends on the 

 migration of an imide hydrogen in the ortho 

 position to a ketonic oxygen. The isomers are 

 N N 



R 



and 



NO, 



N 



NO, 



OR 



on the 6-nitro-acyl-anthranil. The second by 

 heating the alkyl-hydrogen-quinazoline with 

 potassium hydroxide and alliyl iodide in a 

 bomb tube to 150° C. Both are crystalline 

 solids soluble in hot alcohol. The ether melts 

 at ten degrees lower than its isomeric quinazo- 

 line. 



Acyl Derivatives of Jf. Amino-methyl-phthalate : 

 E. E. Eenshaw and M. T. Bogert. 

 4 Amino-methyl-phthalate is readily ob- 

 tained by the reduction of 4-nitro-methyl- 

 phthalate. It crystallizes from alcohol and 

 benzine in glistening plates. Acyl derivatives 

 of this were prepared with mono and dibasic 

 fatty acids, aromatic acids and substituted 

 carbonic acids. These substances are well-de- 

 fined, crystalline bodies, soluble in most or- 

 ganic solvents, nearly insoluble in water, 

 ligrome and petroleum ethers. 



The following officers were then elected for 

 the year 1905-1906: 



President — F. D. Dodge. 

 Vice-President— A. A. Breneman. 

 Secretary-Treasurer — F. H. Pough. 

 Executive Committee — Wm. J. Schieflfelin, H. 

 C. Sherman, Charles Baskerville and G. C. Stone. 



F. H. Pough, 

 Secretary. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



ON THE SPELLING OF ' CLON.' 



It is over two years^ since Mr. H. J. Webber 

 first proposed the word clon as the designation 

 of horticultural groups of plants which are 

 propagated exclusively by vegetative means. 

 During this period of probation, as it were, 

 the need for such a word has been amply 

 demonstrated, and its formal adoption by the 

 Association of Agricultural Colleges and Ex- 

 periment Stations has placed it within the 

 cognizance of lexicographers. No other word 

 apparently exists which can properly be ex- 

 tended in meaning to cover the idea expressed 

 by clon; and the purpose of the present writer 

 is merely to suggest an improvement in orth- 

 ography which seems to be demanded by both 

 phonetic and philological considerations. One 

 of the few definite indications of quantity in 



The first was prepared by the action of NH.,E 'Science, N. S., 18: 501-503, 1903. 



