211 



The President expressed thanks on behalf of the Club to Dr. 

 Gager and the members of staff of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for 

 their many courtesies to the Club. 



The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 P.M. to enjoy the refresh- 

 ments served by the members of staff of the Garden. 



Respectfully submitted, 



John W. Thomson, Jr. 

 Recording Secretary 



NEWS NOTES 

 The Choice of Words 



We have received the following communication from Dr. 

 Fuller : 



"I believe that a statement in Dr. Rickett's review of The Transeau — 

 Sampson — Tiffany textbook in August's Torreya unjustly blames the 

 authors, at least by implication, for the 'etymological waif — monoploid.' In 

 volume 28 (1937) of the Journal of Heredity, on page 16 begins a glossary 

 of genetics terms, prepared and approved by the American Genetic Associa- 

 tion, which sanctions the use of the word monoploid. Thus, Professors Tran- 

 seau, Sampson and Tiffany are well justified in their use of this term, and 

 Dr. Rickett's criticism is unwarranted. I hope you will bring this matter to 

 his attention or to that of your readers — or both." 



Harry J. Fuller 

 University of Illinois 

 Department of Botany 



Dr. Rickett states : 



"I am grateful to Dr. Fuller for the reminder that the authors need not 

 be blamed for the creation of the word "monoploid." I am grateful also for 

 the reference which shows that geneticists commonly use it in a sense dif- 

 ferent from that intended in the textbook. All I said was that (1) it is an 

 unnecessary substitute for 'haploid' ; (2) that its etymology is not so repu- 

 table. I believe that these two statements are unaffected by its inclusion in a 

 glossary." 



H. W. Rickett 



New York Botanical Garden 



Torreya will be very glad to print comments on articles and 

 reviews that appear from time to time, provided, however, they are 

 written in the spirit of helpful criticism. Reviewers are free to call 



