266 



take effect at the end of the present year was read and accepted. 

 The resignation of Dr. C. Stuart Gager as secretary of the Club, 

 occasioned by his removal to the University of Missouri, was 

 read, and accepted with regret, after an expression of the value of 

 his services to the Club. Dr. Pond was elected to membership. 



The scientific program consisted of informal reports on field 

 observations by members. Professor F. E. Lloyd was called 

 upon first, and spoke of his recent experiences in Mexico. He 

 exhibited field notes and photographs of cacti collected largely in 

 northern Zacatecas, Mexico ; in a restricted region, about sixty 

 species are found. Four species of Opuntia are reported to be 

 new ; there were no species of Echinocereiis. Owing to the fact 

 that cacti in conservatories often exhibit very different behavior 

 from that in their natural habitat, the importance of such field 

 study of the group is to be emphasized. 



Professor Lloyd then spoke on the bionomics Q){ Parthenium 

 argejitatmn, known in Mexico as guayule. From this plant a 

 large amount of commercial rubber is obtained ; the rubber 

 occurs in masses in cells of the pith, medullary rays, and cortex, 

 and is extracted by mechanical means. In addition to reproduc- 

 ing freely by seed, there is an interesting method of vegetative 

 reproduction. The plant has, besides a tap-root system, long and 

 slender horizontal roots near the surface, from which new shoots 

 arise and produce new plants at a distance of a meter or more 

 from the main plant. There may be from two to six of these 

 shoots arising from one point, producing such a different habit 

 that such plants may be easily distinguished from the seedlings 

 with their single trunk. A piece of the stem o^ LandolpJiia, a 

 tropical liana, was exhibited. In this case the latex coagulates 

 in the canals and the rubber is extracted by mechanical means. 



Mr. R. S. Williams spoke briefly of his five months' experience 

 in Panama, particularly on the climatic and soil conditions as 

 affecting vegetation. 



Dr. E. B. Southwick exhibited a peculiar monstrosity of Zea 

 Mays. Mr. Nash reported the discovery of the rare orchid, 

 Epipactis vindiflora, at Letchworth Park. 



Adjournment was at 10:05. Tracy E. Hazen, 



Secretary pro tent. 



