149 



manihot, sweet potato, yautia, pumpkins and pumpkin-gourds, 

 beans {Phaseolus vulgaris and P. lunatus), pecan, American plums, 

 red-pepper, cinchona, quinoa, pineapple, Chilian strawberry and 

 wild rice. 



Besides these, mention was made of certain important food 

 plants of ancient America which were also in cultivation in pre- 

 historic time iif Polynesia and Asia. A general summary of the 

 250 most important plants cultivated on a considerable scale in 

 the fields, gardens, and orchards of the world shows that about 

 50 originated in the new world through domestication by Indians. 

 The story of Indian agriculture is the story of America's contribu- 

 tion to the food, fiber and drug products that make for the welfare 

 of mankind. 



Meeting adjourned. 



F. D. Fromme, 

 Secretary pro tern. 



NEWS ITEMS 



At the recent meeting of the National Academy of Arts and 

 Sciences held in Washington, D. C, Dr. Erwin F. Smith was 

 elected a member. It is reported in the daily papers that Dr. 

 Smith has declined a $10,000 position with the Rockefeller 

 Institute for Medical Research to retain one at $4,000 a year 

 with the Government, but there is no official confirmation of 

 this matter. 



Dr. E. L. Morris has returned from Arizona where he has been 

 collecting material for a museum exhibit illustrating desert 

 vegetation. He has spent considerable time in the Tucson 

 Mountains getting photographs and plaster models of cactuses 

 and other xerophytic plants. 



Through the cooperation of the Bermuda Natural History 

 Society and Harvard University, the Bermuda Biological Station 

 for Research will be open this summer as usual for about six 

 weeks, from the middle of June till August. Botanists or 

 zoologists wishing to avail themselves of this opportunity should 

 communicate with Dr. E. L. Mark, 109 Irving St., Cambridge, 

 Mass. 



