32 



in media supplemented with Bi, Bg and biotin as satisfactorily as it does in 

 media containing natural products, for example, malt agar. Some evidence 

 for the deficiencies . for unidentified growth substances is furnished by the 

 more rapid growth in some natural media than in a basal medium containing 

 twelve pure vitamins and twenty-one pure amino acids. 



These results with CeratostoiiieUa are of interest: 



1. Because of the diversity of vitamin deficiencies in representatives 



of a single genus. 



2. Because the discovery of a fungus with nearly complete vitamin Be 



deficiency suggests that it may be used for bio-assay for this 

 vitamin. Assay methods for vitamin Be are at present unsatis- 

 factory. 



3. Because of the determination of the presence of significant quan- 



tities of biotin, Be and Bi in cotton batting and unpurified 

 agar. 



4. Because the results show that a fungus may suffer from a com- 



plete deficiency of three vitamins, a situation which approaches 

 more nearly the condition of the animal where many complete 

 deficiencies exist. This emphasizes again the fundamental like- 

 ness of the basic physiological processes in all living things. 



The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 P.M. and many members 

 and guests remained to continue the discussion informally at tea 

 provided by the Garden staff. 



Respectfully submitted, 



JOHN W. THOMPSON, JR. 

 Recording Secretary 



The Field Committee of the Club announced 168 botanical events 

 in its schedules during 1941. Of these 85 were actual field trips, 

 many of them in cooperation with one or more other botanical 

 societies. Reports were received from 78 of these field trips. Total 

 attendance was 1456 or an average of about 19 persons to each 

 field trip. The high mark was the Branchville Nature Conference, 

 attended by 97. 



