1908 ] 
Recent Baltimore Meetings 
157 
Cowles, Livingston, Shaw Spalding, and Transeau. Expressions 
in these papers indicated that the long dominent idea that all 
structure and activities of a plant must have some useful purpose 
or express some adaptation is fast being replaced by one that 
admits the possibility of useless structures. It is a relief, as Cowles 
says, not to be compelled to find adaptations where none exists. 
Interest in the factors of evolution and the laws of inheritance is 
still most active, and evidence is being sought by experiments in 
many directions. The mutation theory and the laws of Mendel 
still focus the attention of the students of evolution ; but it seems 
evident that we are still far from the time when these highly com- 
plex phenomena may be expressed in simple laws. 
To commemorate the birth of Charles Darwin one hnndred 
years ago a memorial session was held by the Botanical Society of 
America. The following addresses were made: 
“General sketch and estimate of Darwin’s work on cross-polli- 
nation in plants,” by William Trelease. “Estimate of Darwin’s 
work on movement of plants,” by H. M. Richards. “Darwin’s 
influence on plant ecology and plant geography,” by F. E. Clem- 
ents. A Darwin centenary memorial was also held by the Ameri- 
can Association for the Advancement of Science, together with the 
American Society of Naturalists, all sciences participating. The 
two addresses given by botanists were as follows: “The Theory 
of Natural Selection from the standpoint of botany,” by John. M. 
Coulter; “The Direct Effect of Environment,” by Daniel T. 
MacDougal. From the tenor of these addresses it was evident 
that the fame of Darwin is in no wise on the decline. 
His influence on science, philosophy, life is beyond all 
estimate. Fifty years have passed since the publication of 
“The Origin of Species,” years unparalled for progress in the 
history of the world; and it was the momentum of Darwin’s 
thought that initiated that progress and that sustained it in its 
course. Since that eventful year of 1859 much new knowledge 
has been acquired and points of view have changed, new theories 
have been proposed and old ones modified; but through bitter 
assault and turmoil and testing the foundations that Darwin built 
