16 



pounds of "leaf Laminaria" and 5,999,134 pounds of "cut 

 Laminaria" representing a value of over 600,000 yen were ex- 

 ported. These Japanese Laminarias, mostly of two species, are 

 used as food. The export of agar-agar during the same year 

 amounted to 1,298,422 pounds, valued at nearly 500,000 yen. 



The Carnegie Institution has appropriated $8,000 for the fiscal 

 year 1902-03 to be used in the establishment and maintenance 

 of a desert botanical laboratory. Dr. D. T. MacDougal, of the 

 New York Botanical Garden, and Mr. Frederick V. Coville, of 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 constitute the advisory board in relation to the project, and will 

 start on a tour of the Southwest on January 24 to select a site for 

 the laboratory, and to outline other regions to which investiga- 

 tions might profitably be extended. Dr. W. A. Cannon (A B. 

 and A.M., Stanford University, 1899 and 1900; Ph.D., Colum- 

 bia University, 1902) has been chosen as resident investigator. 



The meetings in connection with the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science in Washington during Convocation 

 Week brought together more botanists than have before been in 

 attendance at any series of public meetings in America. About 

 eighty papers on botanical subjects were presented in addition to 

 half as many more, on applied phases of the subject. The three 

 presidential addresses were as follows : Dr. J. C. Arthur before 

 the Botanical Society of America on " Problems in the Study of 

 Plant Rusts " ; Dr. D. H. Campbell before Section G, on " The 

 Origin of Terrestrial Plants"; Professor V. M. Spalding before 

 the Society for Plant Morphology and Physiology on " The Rise 

 of Ecology." The Botanical Society of America announced the 

 following grants : To Dr. J. C. Arthur to aid in the prosecution 

 of investigations on the plant rusts, $90.00 ; to Dr. D. S. John- 

 son to enable him to continue his work on the endosperm and 

 seed of the Piperaceae and Chloranthaceae, $200.00 ; to Dr. 

 Arthur Hollick to meet expenses of continuation of investigation 

 of the fossil flora of the Atlantic coastal plain, $1 50.00. 



