Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-31
DESERT LABORATORY.
Appropriation Of $4,000 Made to Es-
tablish One in Arid Section.

DR.. Daniel c. Gilman, president Of the
Carnegie Institution. caused great gratih-
cation in the afternoon meeting Of the bo-
tanical section Of the American Association
| for the Advancement Of Science yesterday
by announcing that the institution had ap-
propriated 5000 for the establishment Of a
desert laboratory. The purpose Of the lab
oratory Is to enable thorough study to be
| made Of the physiological features Of plants
| under the unusual conditions to be found
| In desert regions. Particular attention is
to be paid to the relation of water to desert
vegetation while light and temperature will
| also be regarded in the research.
The precise location of the laboratory has
not yet been decided upon, however. Mr..
Frederick v. Coville and DR.. D. T. McDou-
gal have been appointed an advisory board
! in relation to the undertaking, and the two
will make tour Of the arid region OF the
southwest at an early date for the purpose
Of determining the best place for the lOca-
tion Of the laboratory.
The appropriation of 5000 is intended to
build the laboratory and provide for Its
maintenance for the year 1923. 1T Is to
be a modest affair, but capable Of accom-
modating at least twelve investigators at a
scientists from any part of the world may
carry on experiments on any problem at
fecting desert vegetation.
Modest Request.
The recommendation for the labora-
tory was made some time ago by the botan-
ical section Of the association, and in an
nouncing the appropriation DR.. Gilman
complimented the section on it's modest re-
quest The necessity of the laboratory had
been so forcefuly set forth, also, and the
scope of the Carnegie Institution appreci-
ated SO Understandings, that 1t had been
pleasure for the board Of directors to make
the appropriation.
Incidentally, DR.. Gilman remarked that
several branches of the association had de-
manded that the entire income OF the 1nstl-
tuition be devoted entirely to the advance
ment of their science, but these demands
had hardly been complied with.
In commenting on the necessity for des-
ert laboratory DR.. McDougal said that
there are more than 100000 square miles
of desert in the United States: Dr.. Nc
Dougal is director of the New York botan-
on several features of the physiological
features Of desert plants by means OF small
portable instruments, at Turkey Tanks, on
the western edge Of the Colorado desert, IN
Arizona.
| This is the second laboratory to be estab-
lished by the Carnegie Institution. The
first was provided for some time ago, when
$40, 600 was appropriated for marine laDo-
ratory at Woods Hole, Mass.
Washington Monument Construction.
The construction of the Washington mon
ument was described to the American AS
ISOLATION for the Advancement of Science
last evening by Mr.. Bernard r. Green, su-
perintendent of the building of the Library
Of Congress Mr.. Green was aided In his
description of the progress Of construction
by lantern slides. He told of the work done
under the supervision Of the old Washing
ton Monument Association from 1856 to
1878. when it was transferred to the charge
of the federal government by the act or
1876. The foundation structure was de-
scribed in detail, as was also the building
of the shaft itself, even to the placing on
of the capstone.
National Museum to Open New Year
Night.
In order that the collections of the Ma
tional Museum may be viewed by the men,
bers of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science and their friends,
Il is announced that on behalf Of the board
of regents, the secretary Of the Smithsonian
Institution has arranged that the building
shall be open the evening of January l,
1903. between the hours of $50 and IL
o'clock Visitors will be admitted at the
main entrance on the north side OF the Ma
hn