892 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 127, 



eral varieties ■Were described ; also tlie miner- 

 als formed in the rocks associated with the 

 tourmalines. Two kinds of gem tourmaline 

 were recognized and their occurrence in cavi- 

 ties or pockets noted. Professor Wolflf showed 

 a series of tourmaline crystals, including two 

 of the largest yet discovered ; also a number of 

 the original plates illustrating Mr. Hamlin's 

 ' History. ' 



Dr. Charles B. Davenport discussed the role 

 of water in growth. Organic growth was de- 

 fined as an increase in volume. The definitions 

 given by others were reviewed and analyzed. 

 The processes of growth were analyzed and the 

 factors involved in growth noted. The experi- 

 ments and observations of plant physiologists 

 assign the principal role to water in the growth 

 of plants. Experiments made to determine the 

 percentage of water la the body of developing 

 tadpoles at different stages show that growth is 

 due chiefly to imbibed water. The role of water 

 in the development of organisms and its bear- 

 ing on the meaning of curves of growth were 

 discussed in detail. 



Samuel Henshaw, 



Secretary. 



THE ACADEMY OP SCIENCE OF ST. LOUIS. 



At the meeting of the Academy of Science of 

 St. Louis on the evening of May 17, 1897, 

 twenty-six persons present, a committee ap- 

 pointed at an earlier meeting presented a short 

 biographic sketch of the late Dr. James N. 

 Leete, for many years an active and influential 

 member of the Academy. 



Mr. J. B. S. Norton read a paper embodying 

 the results of an examination into the effects of 

 the tornado of May, 1896, on trees about St. 

 Louis, in which it was shown that, while ordi- 

 nary winds have some influence on the form 

 and strength of trees, in strong winds uproot- 

 ing is caused by wet soil, weak spreading roots 

 and a large surface exposed to the wind. If 

 the roots hold, breaks may occur in the trunk 

 or branches, depending on the strength of the 

 wood, the form of the tree, the mode of branch- 

 ing and the weight and resistance of foliage. 

 While the edge of dry leaves presented to the 

 wind offers little resistance, when foliage is wet 

 and massed this may be very different. Local 



variations in these several factors make a com- 

 parison of different species difficult. It was 

 shown that Acer dasycarpum was badly broken 

 on account of its brittle wood and heavy foliage^ 

 while the weak- wooded Tilias and Liriodendrons 

 were also broken. Spreading-topped trees, like 

 Ulmus Americana, as a rule, were broken and 

 uprooted, though the branches were only bent 

 in the tougher-wooded individuals. As a gen- 

 eral thing, conical trees, like Ulmus campestris, 

 Ldquidambar and most conifers and the strong- 

 wooded oaks, were little injured. Taxodium 

 distichum, from its slender form, strength and 

 elasticity, was inj ured least of all. It was shown 

 that after the tornado, which occurred early in 

 the vegetative period, most of the trees contin- 

 ued the summer's growth by producing new 

 foliage shoots. While a few died from the in- 

 ability to secure food, others indicate injury by 

 flowering and fruiting more profusely than 

 usual. It was shown that some of the trees 

 which were broken have already begun to show 

 serious decay where the branches were removed, 

 so that the final injury can hardly yet be meas- 

 ured. 



The results observed here were compared by 

 the speaker with those which have been re- 

 ported from time to time in connection with 

 severe storms elsewhere. 



The paper was discussed by Mr. H. von 

 Schrenk, who submitted some interesting speci- 

 mens, slides and drawings illustrating the for- 

 mation of a double ring in 1896, resulting from 

 the refoliation of the branches denuded shortly 

 after the season's growth had begun. 



William Teelease, 

 Secretary. 



NEW BOOKS. 



L' evolution regressive en biologic et en Sociologie. 

 Jean Demooe, Lean Messuet, Emile Van- 

 DEEVELDE. Paris, Alcan. 1897. Pp. 324. 



Guide to the Genera and Classification of the 

 North American Orthoptera found North of 

 Mexico. Samuel Hubbaed Scuddee. Cam- 

 bridge, Edward W. Wheeler. 1897. Pp. 87. 



TTie Entropy Temperature Analysis of Steam En- 

 gine Efficiencies. Sidney A. Reeve. New 

 York, Progressive Age Publishing Co. 1897. 

 Pp. 250. 



