The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-18
THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB
James c. Temple Won First
Prize at the Contest
Oher Prize Winners Were W. W. Finley and
6. W. Foster. A Good Crowd Heard In.
teresting Papers by A. & N. Boys.


boys waxed very scientific, but at the
same time they made their papers very
practical, and some of them threw con-
siderable humor into what seemed at hrst
to be rather dry topics.
There was a good crowd olt to hear
the young biologists talk ON their Ia
vorite topic. Quite representation
from the Baptist Female University, 9oth
of students and teachers, was there,
and several from Peace Institute. All
seemed to take the liveliest interest in
the proceedings and applauded the youth
full naturalists with much energy, and
laughed heartily at the glimpses of fun
that would sometimes creep into the most
serious discussion.
Mr. James Clarence Temple was
awarded the first prize, for his paper,
observations on Root Tubercles." The
second prize went to Mr.. William Walter
Finley, who described How Plants are
PoIlinized." Dr. Stevens special prize
was given to Mr.. Shirley Watson Foster,
who talked of Some Practical Tests of
n New Disinfecting apparatus"
The judges were: Prof j. H. Kesler
of the Baptist Female University; Miss
Meade, of ST. Mary's School, and Mr. C.
II. Poe, of the Progressive Farmer.
There We're six papers, each one treat
ing of some special work done in the
way of research or discovery along the
line of biology. Mr.. Junus Sidney Gates,
President of the club, announced that
two handsome lenses had been offer
ed by the A. H. Thomas Company, of
Philadelphia, as prizes for the two best
papers, and that Prof. Stevens had sup
rlemented this by the offer of a book
called Bird Life" as an additional
prize.
Prof f. L. Stevens, of the Department
of Biology, then stated that it must be
remembered that oratory was not one of
the objects of the club; that the pre-
sentation of facts and originality of
work We're the principal goals striven
for. Consequently in deciding upon the
merits of the papers, fifty points would
be allowed for presentation of the sub
Ject, and fifty for originality and new
ness of topic. Prof Stevens also stated
that all of the contestants were sopho-
mores or Freshmen, the Seniors and
Juniors having agreed not to enter the
competition.
Mr.. William Kerr presented the first
Paper, on Seed termination" This.
he sa1d was bringing seed to life after
they had been dried Experiments had
been made with the seed of wheat, pota-
toes, tomatoes, corn, and other vegeta-
Lies. He showed how this was done
with biotting paper and terminating ap-
paratus. lie had found that the tomato
seed did not regerminate at all, and
that corn On the whole re-germinated
lest in all sizes of seed. The c-half
inch wheat seed had re-germinated ten
times out of ten trials.
The object of this paper was to show
that If seed dried artificially would come
10 life again when planted seed that
dried in the fields would do the same.
Observations on Root Tubercles' were
rsXt made by Mr.. James Clarence Tenn
! lie. Root tubercles, he said, were growths
upon the roots of plants. He showed a
specimen of tubercles on the roots of
the peanut plant. They are caused by
L2cteria, and are found on all legumes
and on some plants tbat are not legumes
They were at first thought to be in
sect gals, but investigation had
shown that i-hey existed where there We're
no insectS.lt Specimens of clover vetch,
cow peas and dandelion were shown, with
many of these &nodules. upon their roots.
These tuhercles seem to laid the plant
in it's life. but 1T remains to be. proved
whether or not they are actually the
nitrifying bacteria, although the inves-
legations so far seem to indicate that
such is the case. This would be of i'm
mense value to farmers as a fertilizer,
il 1t should prove true, especially in the
case of the dandelion.
Mr.. Charles Wigg Martin followed, with
81 paper on 1.-THE White Ants" He spoke
of the great mounds of clay described
by African travellers, built by these ants,
and baked by the hot sun until almost
Ike solid masonry. Certain species of
this apL were found in the Eastern States
nf this country A nest of these ants was
shown, built between glass, and an in
teresting account of the work of the
termiteS was given. They are divided
into the queens, workers and soldiers
The workers are the ones that build the
nests; they are the architects and the
engineers. The soldiers repel invasion
and protect the nests from injury. They
have abaormally large heads and Jaws.
and small bodies. The food of these
ants is principally wood-fib Several
stories Were told of the destruction
caused in tropical countries by the ma
rauding habitsfof the ants.
Mr. Shirley Watson Foster described
Some Practical Tests; Of a New Disin-
fecting: Apparatus. This disinfectant had
been sent to the college, with the claim
that it would kill the germs of almost
al diseases Mr.. Foster had taken. the
germs of the. ordinary boil, fairly easy
sorm u kill. and exposed them in two
rooms, one with the dsinfectant. and
one without it. The result showed that
~apre germs were found in the room with
me tlisinfcctant than IN the room with
out IT, Mr.. Foster showed with the aid
of his tubes and other apparatus just
row the germ culture is started and how
the germs are handled, a rather ticklish
performance in the case of dangerous dis
eases. If one does not know exactly how
to do it.
Mr.. William Walter Finley read very
interesting paper or How Plants are
Pollinized." 1t was shown very clearly
how the pollen is carried to the pistils