Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-30
BOTANISTS ADJOURN.
Most Successful Meeting in His.
tory of the Club.
Officers Elected and Papers Read at
Saturdays Se5sion-Next Summers
Field Meeting to be Held on
Lake Champlain.

flSlQ Meeting TO Dc Held
Lake Champlain.
The annual business meeting OF the Ner-
mont Botanical club was held Saturday
morning at o'clock in the Williams Sci
encc hail. The same officers were rc-eleCt-
cd to serve another year as follows:
Ezra Brainerd OF Middlebury college,
president. G. G. Pringlc of Charlotte, vice.
president. Prof j.. r. Jones of Burlington.
secretary. 1t was voted that the field
meeting next summer should take the form
of a two days excursion upon the steamer
Mdriquita to the islands and points of in
tcrest along the shore of Lake Champlain
lrot. q. IL. Perkins of this city and DR.. T.
l.. Hazen of st. Johnsbury were appointed
q committee to arrange for this summer
cruise Fifteen new names were added TO
tie list of members, including that of Prof.
j.. H. Robinson of Harvard university.
The first paper read In Saturday morn
ings session was by j. f.. Crane of Middle
bury on The Flow of Nectar" He stated
That the flow of nectar is very variable
even from day to day. it may be meas
ured approximately by the activity of the
honey bee. His method is to place strong
colony of bees on scales when any variety
oi flowers which he wished to study begins
To bloom. The rate of increase IN weight
Is an index to the amount of nectar flow.
The results show surprising irregularity.
For example at the height of the season
with clover in fun bloom during one day
the scales scCord an increase of fifteen
pounds and on the next day only three
pounds. Both days were equally clear.
How shall we account for the variations?
After discussing similar observations and
tho associated climatic changes. MIR. Crane
following
How of nectar is greatly affected by at
mosphcric conditions; second. electrical
storms check the flow materially; third.
the south wind is more favorable than the
north wind; fourth, perfect development or
plant and flower is essential to the best
flow, nfth, environment as to climate, soil,
etc. modify to greater CT less extent TO
flow Of nectar.
l.. T.. GrOut of the University OF Yer
mont reported the results of some accu-
rate mcasur, mentS of the size and rate
ot Increase ct the various kinds Constltut-
inE the second growth upon the sand
plains in this vicinity. Much of this land
Is OF value only for forestry purposes
Which Kind of tree will be of most value?
The pines were the original covering. and
of these the pitch pine outgrows the 9TH
org, but unfortunately il has low market
value. Experimental paintings, made
seven years ago on the Land belonging 70
the university. show that the growth OF
either white pine. red oak, white birrh,
or chestnut is too slow to promise well.
The common locust has done well, how
ever mailing fully twice Is rapid growth
iu height and diameter OF stem as did any
of the others. 1t promises a crop of renee
posts in twenty years ana will spread and
pcrpctuate itself. Locust posts command
the highest market price and therefore
promise to prove profitable for planting.
The paper of Miss NJ. Eva Baker of
Springfield read by Miss Rustedt was an
eloquent plea Tor the preservation Of the
forest and shade trees OF Vermont. It
presented clearly the necessity for eulight-
nment on 80 subject and suggested the
rulue Of accurate observations and records
at the trees of q particular village The
history Of the trees would involve to a
great extent the history of the people ami
the Village. The paper elected COnSid +
able discussion and the Importance of the
subject was recognized by the appoint
m,nt Of a committee to eXpro IS to Hon.
clifford Piuchot, chief of thu United states
Department Of Forestry, tho interest of
the club in the forestry problems of the
state and urge upon him tn" importlnce
of amy assistance he can give in their so
luton
ton w. f. Ranger state Superntend-
cut Of Education, i'm speaking upon Ma
turc study in our Public Schools. ask
for me cooperation Of members Of tie
club In giving information and assistance
to the teachers along THIS line. HI is
oh1,t To- issue a nature study bulletin en-
cour1ging the formation of tree clubs in
the common schools in the spring. ard
sought the cooperation of the local boz
ansts in this worh especially H. WAS
impressed that the papers read at the
meeting dealt SO largely with facts and
accurate observations rather than with
philosophical theories. He also said that
i'm encouraging nature study among the