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Although for convenience of reference, the physiological topics are here grouped together, they should by no means be studied by themselves and apart from anatomy and morphology. On the contrary, they should be taken up, along with the study of the structures in which the processes occur, and which they help to explain; thus-photosynthesis should be studied with the leaf, as should also transpiration, while digestion may best come with germination, osmotic absorption with the root, and so on. The student should either try, or at least aid in trying, experiments to demonstrate the fundamental processes indicated above in italics.

Modifications (metamorphoses) of parts for special functions. Dissemination. Cross-pollination.

Light relations of green tissues; leaf mosaics.

Special habitats; Mesophytes, Hydrophytes, Halophytes, Xerophytes; Climbers, Epiphytes, Parasites (and Saphrophytes), Insectivora.

The topics in ecology (particularly the first four and in part the fifth), like those in physiology, are to be studied not by themselves, but along with the structures with which they are most closely associated, as cross-pollination with the flower, dissemination with the seed, etc. The fifth may most advantageously be studied in G in Part II.

In this connection field-work is of great importance, and, for some topics, is indispensable, though much may be done also with potted plants in green-houses, photographs, and museum specimens. It is strongly recommended that some systematic field-work be considered as an integral part of the course, coördinate in definiteness and value as far as it goes with the laboratory work. The temptations to haziness and guessing in ecology must be combated.

Part II. The Natural History of the Plant Groups, and

Classification

A comprehensive summary of the great natural groups of plants, based upon the thorough study of the structure, reproduction and adaptations to habitat of one or two types from each

group, supplemented and extended by more rapid study of other forms in those groups. Where living material is wanting for the latter, preserved material and even good pictures may be used, and a standard text-book should be thoroughly read. The general homologies from group to group should be understood, though it is not expected that these will be known in detail.

In general, in this part of the course, it is recommended that much less attention be given to the lower and inconspicuous groups, and progressively to the higher and conspicuous forms. Following is a list of recommended types from which, or their equivalents, selection may be made:

A. ALGAE. Pleurococcus. Sphaerella, Spirogyra, Vaucheria, Fucus, Nemalion (or Polysiphonia or Coleochaete).

B. FUNGI. Bacteria, Rhizopus, or Mucor, Yeast, Puccinia (or a powdery mildew), Corn Smut, Mushroom.

Bacteria and yeast have obvious disadvantages in such a course, but their great economic prominence may justify their introduction.

C. LICHENS. Physcia (or Parmelia, or Usnea.

D. BRYOPHYTES. In Hepaticae, Radula (or Porella or Marchantia). In Musci, Mnium (or Polytrichum or Funaria).

E. PTERIDOPHYTES. In Filicineae, Aspidium or equivalent, including, of course, the prothallus.

In Equisetineae, Equisetum.

In Lycopodineae, Lycopodium and Selaginella (or Isoetes).
Pinus or equivalent.

F. GYMMOSPERMS.

G. ANGIOSPERMS. A monocotyledon and a dictoyledon, to be studied with reference to the homologies of their parts with those in the above groups; together with representative plants of the leading subdivisions and principal families of Angiosperms.

Classification should include a study of the primary subdivisions of the above groups, based on the comparison of the types with other living (preferably) or preserved material. The principal subdivisions of the Angiosperms, grouped on the Engler and Prantl system, should be understood.

The ability to use manuals for the determination of the species of flowering plants is not considered essential in this course,

though it is most desirable.

It should not be introduced to the exclusion of any part of the course, but should be made voluntary work for those showing a taste for it. It should not be limited to learning names of plants, but should be made a study in the plan of classification as well.

The preparation of an herbarium is not required nor recommended except as voluntary work for those with a taste for collecting. If made, it should not represent so much a simple accumulation of species as some distinct idea of plant associations, or of morphology, or of representation of the groups, etc.

The recent report of Gifford Pinchot, chief forester of the United States, shows that about 700,000 trees were planted last year on forests in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and California. There are now growing at the planting stations more than 2,200,000 trees, which will be ready for planting in 1909. Sufficient seed was sown in the spring of 1908 to produce 4,600,000 seedlings.

For the Bulletin of the New York Botanical Garden issued February, 1909, Addison Brown has written an interesting account of the Elgin Botanical Garden, created by Dr. David Hosack, and its relation to Columbia College. The Bulletin also contains a paper on the North American Gill Fungi with a simple key that will be very helpful to many readers of TORREYA. Each of the above contributions is also issued separately by the New York Botanical Garden.

At the first annual conference of the governors of New England one session was devoted to the planting of trees. Forest trees were discussed, but especial interest was shown in orchard trees. New England, with its convenient markets, low land prices, and large proportion of hilly country not well suited to farming, could easily rank first in the production of apples, if the business were conducted with the energy characterizing western agricultural enterprises and guided by up-to-date methods.

Mycologia, the new journal issued from the New York Botanical Garden, contains the following on the chestnut canker which Dr. Murrill has earlier described for TORREYA: It is well known that practically all of the chestnut trees in and about New York City have been killed within the past few years by the chestnut canker, Diaporthe parasitica; but the number of trees destroyed has been only very roughly estimated. Through the efforts, however, of Mr. J. J. Levison, arboriculturist of the parks of Brooklyn, who has made a careful survey of Forest Park, it is now known that 16,695 chestnut trees were killed in the 350 acres of woodland in this park alone. Of this number, about 9,000 were between eight and twelve inches in diameter, and the remaining 7,000 or more were of larger size.

A report has been made by the Commission which was appointed by the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in 1906, to consider various matters relating to the expenditure of public funds. The members of the commission are David Starr Jordan, Stanford University, chairman; Whitman Howard Jordan, of Geneva, New York, secretary; Henry Prentiss Armsby, State College, Pennsylvania; Gifford Pinchot, Washington, D. C., and Carroll Davidson Wright, Clark College, Massachusetts. Among other recommendations are the following:

1. Every effort should be made to promote the training of competent investigators in agriculture both in the agricultural, and, so far as practicable, in the non-agricultural, colleges and universities, and their training should be as broad and severe as for any other field of research.

2. The progress of agricultural knowledge now demands that agricultural research agencies shall deal as largely as possible with fundamental problems, confining attention to such as can be adequately studied with the means available.

3. The work of research in agriculture should be differentiated as fully as practicable, both in the form of organization and in the relations of the individual investigator, from executive work, routine teaching, promotion and propaganda, and should be under the immediate direction of an executive trained in the methods of science who should not be hampered by other duties of an entirely unlike character.

4. An advisory board is suggested consisting of members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and by the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, respectively, which shall confer with the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the mutual interests of the department and the stations and shall consider the promotion of agricultural investigation in general.

NEWS ITEMS

Edward Valentine Hallock, president of the Society of American Florists, died March 3, 1909, at his Long Island home.

The University of Michigan has recently received a gift of ninety acres of land to be used as a botanical garden and arboretum.

In the departments of biology, L. L. Woodruff, of Yale, has been promoted to assistant professor, and R. W. Hall, of Lehigh, to full professor.

Mr. Patrick H. Lawlor, a well-known arboriculturist died recently at Flushing, Long Island. Many of our rare shade trees were first imported by Mr. Lawlor.

M. Louis Mangin has been made a member of the Paris Academy of Sciences, in the section of botany, succeeding M. Van Tieghem, who has been elected permanent secretary.

The new chief of the Bureau of General Statistics and Agricultural Information in the International Institute at Rome is Dr. C. C. Clark, of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Further cooperation is planned between the government and the University of Wisconsin. This will include the cultivation of medicinal plants including related investigation and research work.

Since Dr. George H. Shull's return from Europe, where he was studying scientific and economic plant breeding, he has gone to California to resume his work on Mr. Burbank's methods and results.

As the result of the North American Conference on the Conservation of Natural Resources, held in Washington last week, all nations are to be asked to send delegates to an international conference on conservation, to be held at The Hague.

The fifth summer school session of the University of Washington, opens June 22, at Friday Harbor, Washington. Courses are offered in elementary and in field botany. The tuition fee is but $13, making the entire charges for board, etc., for the six weeks only $45.

The Station for Research at Agar's Island, Bermuda, will be open for about seven weeks this summer. There are accommo

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