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ture and 13 cooperating states near Charleston, S. C. "The pur- 

 pose of the laboratory," says Dr. E. C. Auchter, principal horti- 

 culturist and assistant chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 "is to breed high quality, disease resistant vegetables adapted 

 especially to the southern states." 



Vegetable varieties from this and other countries will be 

 used in breeding work. To obtain hardy and disease resistant 

 vegetables not found in this country as well as several other 

 kinds of plants, expeditions under the direction of the Division 

 of Plant Exploration and Introduction are en route to India 

 and to Persia and Turkey. Excellent breeding materials have 

 been obtained from these countries in the past. 



An exhibit of about 200 dainty little alpine plants, all in 

 bloom at the same time, was the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 

 striking contribution to this year's Flower Show. To their 

 flowers most rock garden plants owe much of their peculiar 

 charm and interest. Therefore, by skilful forcing or holding 

 back, species that bloom normally from February to June all 

 were brought into flower at once. 



The forcing was done by placing the plants in a greenhouse 

 for periods varying from two weeks to two months, and by in- 

 creasing the length of day (for late-blooming kinds) by the use 

 of electric light. The special lights were turned on at dusk and 

 shut off at 11:30 P.M. Such additional lighting was necessary 

 because a number of plants do not respond to the correct tem- 

 perature unless it is accompanied by the augmented light of a 

 longer day. 



The appointment of Dr. Robert B. Gordon of the Botani- 

 cal Department, Ohio State University, as new director for the 

 Allegany School of Natural History, was made in connection 

 with the announcement that July 5 through August 22 are the 

 dates for the tenth season of the School. Dr. Gordon has been 

 a member of the School's faculty during five of the nine previous 

 seasons. 



The School, which is called "The School in the Forest," is in 

 Allegany State Park, New York, only 80 miles from Buffalo, 

 and makes it possible for advanced students, and for beginners 

 with little or no experience out-of-doors, to study under experi- 

 enced naturalists in the field. 



