November 11, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



679 



forms that feed ou them are but imperfectly 

 understood, although we know that millions of 

 minute animals and plants make a home among 

 Characew, Naias and other phanerogams. 



The effect of the growth and decay of the 

 larger plants upon the algae is jsrobably of much 

 importance, but definite information is want- 

 ing. Our conception of the relation between 

 the phanerogams, the medium in which they 

 grow, and the bottom may be some-^hat 

 changed if the experiments of Hochreutener on 

 the flora af Lake Geneva can be confirmed. He 

 found that the species studied absorbed eosin 

 solution much more readily by their roots than 

 by their leaves. If this proves to be true the 

 study of bottom samples will be^ more important 

 than before. 



The most important problem in fresh-water 

 algology is the study of the rate of growth of 

 unicellular forms, and all the questions neces- 

 sarily connected with this. 



Specimens were shown that illustrated the 

 effect of depth and local conditions of environ- 

 ment on the habit of species. Rootstocks, 

 tubers and bulbs were shown and attention was 

 called to their importance in the questions con- 

 cerning the propagation and reproduction of 

 aquatics. 



Mr. Gilbert H. Hicks read a paper on ' The 

 Effect of Certain Fertilizers on the Germination 

 of Seeds.' Attention was called to the losses 

 which often result in practical farm operations 

 from the failure to secure a ' stand ' of certain 

 crops, due to the excessive or improper use of 

 chemical fertilizers which often prevent or retard 

 the germination of the seeds. 



The paper was based upon experiments con- 

 ducted in one of the greenhouses of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture upon seeds of wheat, let- 

 tuce, radish and crimson clover. In one series 

 of greenhouse ' flats ' seeds were planted in 

 rows directly in contact with the chemical ; in 

 another series the upper stratum of soil was 

 mixed with the same amount of chemical used 

 in the previous case and the seeds were planted 

 in this stratum ; otherwise the conditions of 

 growth were exactly the same. Checks were 

 also conducted at the same time. The plant 

 food elements — nitrogen, potash, phosphoric 

 acid and lime — were used in the forms of ni- 



trate of soda, muriate of potash, dissolved bone 

 black and powdered oyster shells. In addition 

 to these a ' balanced ' fertilizer, consisting of a 

 mixture of the above ingredients, was employed. 

 The experiments proved to be of much in- 

 terest and appeared to warrant the following 

 conclusions : 



1. That muriate of potash and sodium nitrate 

 used as fertilzers in strengths of one per cent, 

 or more are very detrimental to the germination 

 of seeds, whether applied directly or mixed 

 with the soil. 



2. That fertilizers composed of phosphoric 

 acid or lime are much less injurious to germina- 

 tion than sodium nitrate or muriate of potash, 

 and if not used in excess may be harmless. 



3. That commercial fertilizers should not be 

 brought into direct contact with germinating 

 seeds. 



4. The effect of treating seeds with chemicals 

 before planting is no index to the action of those 

 chemicals when applied as manures to the soil. 



5. That the chief injury to germination from 

 chemical fertilizers is effected upon the young 

 sprouts after they leave the seed coat and before 

 they emerge from the soil, while the seeds 

 themselves are injured only slightly or not at all. 



6. It is highly improbable that potash, phos- 

 phoric acid, nitrogen or lime used as fertilizers 

 actually favor germination. 



F. A. Lucas, 



Secretary. 



BIOLOGICAL SECTION, NEW YORK ACADEMY OF 

 SCIENCES — MEETING OF OCTOBER 10, 1898. 



In the absence of Professor Wilson, Professor 

 Osborn in the chair. 



Professor Osborn referred to the loss sustained 

 by the Academy and the biological sciences in 

 general through the death of Professor Baur, of 

 Chicago, and Dr. Arnold Graf, of New York. 



Following the usual custom, the meeting was 

 devoted to reports given by various members of 

 their summer's work. 



Professor Osborn described the different mu- 

 seums which he visited in Europe, giving a brief 

 account of the good and bad points of each. At 

 Stuttgart he saw a unique and undescribed fos- 

 sil, Hyrax, which Professor Fraas very gener- 

 ously gave him the pleasure of describing. The 



