
g16 The American Naturatist. [October, 
specimens illustrating the peculiar quality of irritability possessed by 
these plants were shown and the subject discussed. Professor Camp- 
bell gave a paper on the prothallium and embryo of Osmunda clayton- 
tana and O. cinnamomea, fully illustrated by blackboard drawings. A 
new nectria found upon the sweet potato and associated with the stem 
rot was treated of by Professor Halsted. The Composite collected by 
Dr. Palmer in Colima, and the flora of Carmen Islands, were two 
papers by Professor Rose. Professor T. Smith illustrated fully the uses 
of the fermentation tubes in bacteriology by a score of specimens, 
many containing important disease germs. 
On Friday, during the morning hour for the Botanical Club, papers 
were presented by Professor Fairchild on a new currant disease, by 
Professor Riley upon Mexican jumping beans, by Professor Rose upon 
two new weeds, while one of the most enjoyable features was the presen- 
tation to the members of the club of a souvenir by the Washington 
Botanical Club, consisting of twenty-two photographs of Washington 
points of interest, neatly bound. In the biological section notes upon 
bacteria of Cucurbits by Professor Halsted were followed by the four 
papers of the physiological series prepared by appointment, as follows: 
‘‘ Transportation or Loss of Water in Plants,’’ by Professors Bessey 
and Woods ; ‘‘ Movements of Fluids in Plants,’ by Professor Beal; 
“Absorption of Fluids by Plants,’’ by Professor Pammel; and ‘‘ Gases 
in Plants,’’ by Professor Arthur. After some discussion, and particu- 
larly as to the absorption of carbonic gas in soil water by roots, the botan- 
ical papers for the day in the section closed with notes upon an 
anthracnose by Professor Halsted. The botany for the day, however, 
was continued far into the evening by Professor John M. MacFarland, 
who gave a public lecture upon heredity in plants, by which it was 
shown with a series of three simultaneous lantern projections that the 
differences in the parents were blended in the offspring even to the size 
of cells, ducts, thickness of bark, and many other microscopic details. 
On Saturday, at the Botanical Club, the first paper was read by Miss 
Southworth, on some strange fungi. Dr. Mohr gave a contribution 
upon some phanerogams of Alabama. A novel method of caring for 
Myxomycetes was explained by Professor Cook, and Mrs. Claypole 
gave a paper upon an onion disease. In Section F Professor Riley 
treated of microdrganisms as insecticides, followed by further observa- 
tions on a bacterial disease of oats by Professor Galloway. Dr. Vasey 
outlined the botanical field work of his division, while Professor Waite 
presented results from recent investigations of pear blight. The spec- 
troscope in bacterial studies, by Professor Brashear, closed the long list 
of botanical papers presented at Washington.—Byron D. HALSTED. 




