16 



is a rather plastic organism, and for this reason experiments 

 along the line indicated are more or less justified. 



"5. Experiments in supplying plants and cut flowers with 

 vegetable coloring matters and aniline dyes showed that none of 

 the vegetable color substances were taken up and that only a 

 comparatively few of the aniline dyes would color flowers. The 

 fact that of thousands of dyes or color substances, only a few 

 are carried as high as the flower, would tend to show that only 

 certain chemicals or substances would be taken up by the plant, 

 and thus exert an influence on the coloring matter in the flower. 

 If such profound changes occur in plants as are provided by the 

 mutation theory, is it too much to suppose that certain definite 

 changes might be produced by means of which we have knowl- 

 edge or control ? " 



Dr. Kraemer's remarks were illustrated by a hundred or more 

 freshly cut flowers such as carnations, roses, hyacinths, and callas, 

 which had been artificially colored in the few hours preceding the 

 demonstration by placing the stalks of the flowers in solutions of 

 certain dyes. Numerous dried specimens of artifically colored 

 flowers of various plants were also exhibited. 



Dr. Rusby showed fresh fruits of the so-called " tree-tomato," 

 a species of Cyphoviatidra native to South America. 



Adjournment followed. 



Marshall A. Howe, 



Secretary pro tcni. 



NEWS ITEMS 



Dr. George T. ]\Ioore will have charge of the botanical depart- 

 ment of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massa- 

 chusetts, during the coming summer. 



It is stated in a recent number of Science that Professor Roland 

 Thaxter, of Harvard Universit}', has a year's leave of absence, 

 during which he will make botanical collections in South America. 



Professor J. C. Arthur and Mr. Frank D. Kern of Purdue 

 University, Lafayette, Indiana, are spending three weeks or more 

 at the New York Botanical Garden, engaged in studies on the 

 North American Uredinales. 



