19 



climatic or environmental influences. The morphological char- 

 acters of the stems and leaves were described and the particular 

 features by \irtue of which the dried moss is able to absorb such 

 large quantities of water were pointed out. It was shown that 

 dried Sphagnum is capable of absorbing as much or more per dry 

 weight as the ordinary absorbent cotton used in making dressings. 



The cells of the leaves are of two sorts. The smaller or nar- 

 rower cells making a network, are green, while lying between 

 the green cells we find much larger, empty cells whose walls are 

 provided with large pores through which water may be absorbed 

 from the outside. These cells are also characterized by thick- 

 ened bands which serve to strengthen the system. 



Numerous specimens of Sphagnum were exhibited. The meth- 

 ods by which the moss is harvested, dried, sorted and made into 

 surgical dressings were described. 



A number of the various kinds of dressings made with Sphag- 

 num or with cotton were shown. The lecture was illustrated 

 with lantern slides. It has been published in part in the Journal 

 of the Xew York Botanical Garden. 



Adjournment followed. 



B. O. Dodge, 



Secretary. 



NEWS ITEMS 



At the annual meeting of the Club held on January 14 the fol- 

 lowing ofificers were elected: President, H. M. Richards; Vice 

 Presidents, J. H. Barnhart and C. Stuart Gager; Secretary and 

 Treasurer, B. O. Dodge; Editor, A. W. Evans; Associate Editors, 

 Jean Broadhurst, J. Arthur Harris, M. A. Howe, M. Levine, G. 

 E. Nichols, A. B. Stout, and Norman Taylor. Dr. M. A. Howe 

 was elected as the delegate of the club to the Council of the 

 New York Academy of Sciences. 



Prefessors Edward W. Berry and J. T. Singewald, Jr., of the 

 Johns Hopkins University are planning to leave in April for a 

 six months trip of geological and paleontological exploration in 

 the Andes. The region that they will cover extends from Peru 

 to southern Chile. 



