16 



far . been directed to soil temperature as a factor with root 

 parasites. It has been found, as would be expected, that 

 modifications of soil temperature profoundly influence such 

 disease developments. 



Marshall A. Howe 

 Secretary pro tern. 



NEWS ITEMS 



Dr. N. L. Britton was one of those who recently appeared 

 before the joint Congressional Committee at Washington to 

 urge the establishment of a National Botanic Garden and 

 Arboretum in Washington. The plan is to use a tract of some 

 800 acres, over half of which already belongs to the government, 

 in the northeast section of Washington. The land varies from 

 swamp along the Anacostia River to the forested summit of 

 "Mount Hamilton." A description of the plans can be found 

 in the January number of American Forestry. 



The newspapers a short time ago reported that the government 

 was making efforts to exterminate poppies from Flanders that 

 had been discovered on ballast in New Jersey. Papaver Rhoeas 

 has been known as a weed on ballast and waste places, both 

 in the east and west, for many years. It is listed in the standard 

 manuals and elsewhere and has never given any indications of 

 becoming troublesome. 



In the copy of the Literary Digest for November 19, 1921, 

 there is an abstract of an article by Roland M. Harper published 

 in the Engineering and Mining Journal on Relations between 

 Vegetation and Mineral Deposits. Dr. Harper says '.'Mineral 

 si)rings, petroleum, and natural gas are found mostly in the 

 hardwood or prairie area, gold and copper in the area of coniferous 

 forests. Coal and iron are somewhat intermediate, but the 

 former tends more towards the hardwood area and the latter 

 to the pine." 



