Apkil 10, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



591 



Corundum occurs in the crystalline rocks 

 of the Appalachian region in granite, gneiss, 

 mica-schist, crystalline limestone, etc., but 

 thus far the only deposits that have been 

 profitably exploited occur in basic magnesian 

 rocks, chiefly peridotites, with smaller bodies 

 of pjrroxenites and amphibolites. The sapphire 

 or gem variety, common corundum, and emery 

 have all been found in this region. The 

 second occurs most commonly with the peri- 

 dotites, and, except in one or two localities, 

 is much the most important. It occurs at 

 intervals from Alabama to Massachusetts, 

 and has been mined in Pennsylvania, North 

 Carolina and Georgia, occurring chiefly in 

 vein-like zones about the borders of the peri- 

 dotites and sometimes penetrating the mass 

 of these rocks. 



North of North Carolina the peridotites 

 are extensively altered into serpentine, stea- 

 tite, etc. In North Carolina and southward 

 they are chiefly unaltered. The studies of 

 Lewis and Pratt have demonstrated (1) that 

 the peridotites are igneous intrusives, and 

 (2) that the corundum has most probably 

 been formed by segregation from a state of 

 solution in the molten magma. These re- 

 sults have been briefly presented in a report 

 shortly to be published by the North Carolina 

 Geological Survey. 



In the discussion of this paper. Dr. P. H. 

 Mell stated that he had had occasion to in- 

 vestigate these peridotites and corundum de- 

 posits in the seventies, when they were first 

 beginning to attract attention. He collected 

 material from which, to the best of his knowl- 

 edge, the first corundum wheel ever made had 

 been manufactured. He traversed the whole 

 region, from Alabama to Massachusetts, and 

 arrived at the conclusion that both the corun- 

 dum and the peridotites are of igneous origin, 

 which view was almost unanimously rejected 

 by geologists at the time. Therefore, he was 

 very much gratified to find that the results of 

 the latest investigations of these rocks con- 

 firmed his own conclusion. 



Chas. E. Chambliss, 



Secretary. 



A. AND M. College of South Cakolina, 

 Clemson College, S. C. 



VERMONT BOTANICAL CLUB. 



The eighth annual winter meeting of the 

 Vermont Botanical Club was held at the Uni- 

 versity of Vermont on January 16 and 17. 

 The officers were reelected for the ensuing 

 year as follows : 



President — Ezra Brainerd, Middlebury College. 

 Vice-President — C. G. Pringle, University of 

 Vermont. 



Secretary^— L. R. Jones, University of Vermont. 



It was the sentiment that the summer field 

 meeting, about July 1, be held on Stratton 

 Mountain. 



The following program was presented: 



Clifton" D. Howte : Annual Address — ' Some 

 Results of Deforestation in Vermont.' 



Peestoent Ezea Brainerd : ' Vermont Violets.' 



William H. Blanchard : ' More Finds in My 

 Section.' 



Miss Alice E. Bacon : ' An Experiment with 

 the Friiit of the Red Baneberry.' 



Mrs. Frederick A. Richardson : ' Reversion in 

 a Columbine.' 



Miss Elizabeth Billings : ' A Many Branched 

 Spleenwort.' 



William Stuart : ' Nitrogen Gatherers.' 



Mrs. H. E. Straw: 'Ferns of Smugglers and 

 Nebraska Notches.' 



H. M. Seeley : ' My Aster.' 



Mrs. E. B. Davenport: 'Recollections of Mr. 

 C. C. Frost.' 



L. R. Jones : ' The Frost Herbarium.' 



John Henlet Babnhardt : ' A List of Vermont 

 Local Floras.' 



E. A. Burt : ' The Thelephorse of Vermont.' 

 Mrs. Nellie F. Flynn : ' Additions to the 



Flora of Burlington and Vicinity during 1902.' 



G. T. Moore : ' The Pollution of Water Supplies 

 by Algse.' 



Miss Ruth B. Fisher: 'An Appeal for More 

 Study of the Lower Plants in our Schools.' 



President Ezra Brainerd : ' The Chandler 

 Herbarium.' 



W. W. Eggleston : ' A Canoe Trip in Northern 

 Maine.' 



Carlton D. Howe : ' Plant Progression.' 



F. A. Ross : ' Vagaries of Hepatica.' 



Miss M. Eva Baker : ' The Message of th« 

 Trees.' 



L. R. Jones, 

 Secretary. 



