Jan., 1906.] 
Meetings of the Biological Club. 
451 
ing to note that one can occasionally find reference to this 
curious habit in the recent textbooks. There are few subjects 
better suited to arouse the interest and curiosity of the student. 
In 1903, O. F. Cook described the striking self-pruning habit 
of the temporary and permanent branches of Castilla, the 
Central American rubber tree (Bull. No. 49, Bureau of Plant 
Industry, U. S. Dept, of Agr.) Plates X and XI are fine repre- 
sentations of self-pruned branches. Recently the writer was 
enabled to examine such branches brought by Prof. Mine from 
Guatemala. The development of temporary branches with a 
special arrangement for their removal is of unusual interest 
because of the economic value of these rubber trees. 
The following common trees and shrubs have also been studied 
for self-pruning: 
Acer pseudo-platanus L. Self-prunes small twigs and buds 
by means of a basal joint. 
Sambucus canadensis L. Unripe ends of the branches are 
pruned off by cleavage planes developed in the upper leaf nodes. 
Sometimes the tips of all the branches of an individual are 
self-pruned, making a very peculiar appearance in the winter. 
Sambucus pubens Mx. Self-prunes in the same way as the 
preceding. 
Chionanthus virginica L. Self-prunes the leafy, fruiting 
panicles like the hackberry and choke cherry. 
Diospyros virginiana L. This tree has an imperfect method 
of self-pruning by which large numbers of small twigs are cut off. 
Lepargyraea canadensis (L.) Greene. Self-prunes small twigs 
by means of basal joints. 
Ulmus alata Mx. This tree produces cleavage planes in 
basal joints and in the annual nodes produced by the winter 
buds, like the white and cork elms. 
MEETINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB. 
Orton Hall, Oct. 2, ’05. 
The meeting was called to order by Pres. Hine. The minutes 
of the last meeting were read and approved. On the motion of 
Prof. Schaffner the president appointed Z. P. Metcalf secretary 
pro tern. Pres. Hine then appointed Prof. Hambleton, Miss 
Wilson and Miss Riddle as a committee to nominate officers for 
the ensuing year. 
As this was the first meeting of the year it was given over to 
reports by the members on their summer’s work. 
Prof. Schaffner spent the major part of his summer in Kansas 
studying the Myxomycetes. Some time was spent on the oaks 
of eastern Kansas. Prof. Schaffner also reported the results of 
