20 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 105. 



citrons, drupaceous and pomaceous fruit, 

 as well as vegetables. 



In all cases where plants are sent for 

 registration, specimens of flowers, foliage, 

 fruit, root, tuber or seed must accompany 

 the application. All vegetables must be 

 accompanied by a given amount of seed (to 

 be determined) to be preserved for purposes 

 of noting the duration of cultural varieties, 

 the influence of climate during any series 

 of years or in any locality. A further pur- 

 pose of the seed shall be to grow plants for 

 purposes of identifying the sort. 



ENDS SOUGHT. 



1. To discourage the duplication of 

 names, and the re-naming of old sorts for 

 commercial purposes. 



2. To form a National herbarium of eco- 

 nomic plants, which shall be made up 

 largely of type specimens. 



3. To simplify the matter of nomencla- 

 ture. 



4. To aid the student of varieties as well 

 as of variation of plants under culture. 



5. To secure the originator of a truly 

 valuable variety some reward for his labor, 

 the same as is now accorded the inventor. 



The incorporation of such a clause (No. 

 5) will undoubtedly secure the hearty co- 

 operation of all plant breeders, nurserymen 

 and seedsmen, and this cooperation we 

 must have in order to advance the scientific 

 ends sought. 



It is further proposed that this central 

 bureau be made a part and parcel of the 

 present Division of Pomology of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. A very 

 valuable nucleus for the beginning of such 

 work is had in the fruit models now in the 

 museum of that department. 



Each person interested in this matter 

 will kindly formulate his ideas on the sub- 

 ject and send to some member of the com- 

 mittee who will put them in such form that 

 a bill may be drafted at an early date and 



presented before Congress. The idea in 

 having the members of the committee so 

 scattered is to get the needs of the several 

 sections of the United States as well repre- 

 sented as practicable. It is hoped that each 

 one interested will lend hearty cooperation 

 in the matter. 



CUBRENl NOTES ON PHYSIOGRAPHY. 

 PHYSICAL FEATDEES OF MISSOURI. 



The current annual volume of the report 

 of the Missouri Geological Survey contains 

 an essay on the physical features of that 

 State by C. F. Marbut( Vol. X. 1896, 14- 

 109). The general upland of the State, 

 bevelled obliquely across the nearly hori- 

 zontal strata, is explained as a peneplain 

 produced by subaerial erosion that con- 

 tinued into Tertiary time ; the peneplain 

 now being dissected in consequence of a 

 warping uplift of middle or late Tertiary 

 date. Apart from the narrow valleys by 

 which much of the upland is dissected, the 

 most notable features of the State are the 

 escarpments that are formed on the retreat- 

 ing edges of the harder strata. A number 

 of these are described, mapped and figured. 

 The most important are the Bethany escarp- 

 ment, formed on the resistant members of 

 the upper coal measures in the northwest 

 corner of the State ; the Burlington escarp- 

 ment, on the Burlington limestone in the 

 southwest ; and the Avon, Crystal and Bur- 

 lington escarpments on a series of hard 

 strata near the confluence of the Missouri 

 and the Mississippi, below St. Louis. The 

 lower ground that spreads out in front 

 of an escarpment is called a platform ; the 

 upland, to which the escarpment rises, 

 descends again in a back-slope or structural 

 plain. The relief form included by the back- 

 slope and the escarpment is called a ridge ; 

 the special term, cuesta, might be introduced 

 to advantage. The drainage system of the 

 State is discussed at some length, with 

 special reference to the origin of incised 



