The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-06
fo Study Biology in
An Outdoor Laboratory.
The Sharon Biological Observatory Near
Boston Is to Be Unique.

with the living creatures as means Of
scientific Investigation. 1t Is believed In
short, that the laboratory, with Its micros-
all right IN Its place, but that the living
animal, climbing a tree or making Itself a
burrow in the ground, ought not to be al
Actual opportunity for this intimate ac-
quaintance with nature Is not often avail
able In the neighborhood Of large cities
and then only In more or, less haphaSard
fashion. One goes out to find a robin but
Is very likely TO ind only tramp. But at
Sharon, about two miles distant from 4
small town famous for its health, quiet and
responsibility, and only about half an
hours railroad Journey from Boston or
Providence. is to be great preserve whera
there are neither tramps nor ponchers, and
where the birds, beasts and fishes are TO
be plentiful and protected. Moreover the
900 acres covered by the observatory In
clude widely diversified territory. There
are lowland, and uplands, brooks, ponds
pastures. marshes and scattering pieces Of
primeval forest. One may study the mating
OF birds in spring or the countless tracks
which birds and beasts have left upon the
snow Of winters morning with equal
table In your pocket to recall the fact that
one Is within fifty miles of great city.
FOR TEACHERS.
Nature study is the subject of the course
which the Institute of Technology gives
the present summer, primarily for teach
ers and others whose time is too much
taken up during the winter to permit at
tendance at schools or colleges. The work
laid down for the summer school very well
illustrates the relation between the OBJ
servatory and schools IN generator fac
institution is by no means intended ns
great recreation park for persons who Ike
to see the birds and animals without desir-
ing any more intimate scientific acqunint-
ance. Tho students will begin with gen
Of the living organism which are common
to animal and vegetable life and embrace
Ing, therefore, q general laboratory and
text book knowledge of plants and animals
feet lesson, Then, on this basis OF gen'
eral knowledge, the course Will cover sue
corsiyely certain branches Of zoology and
fninIlinrlsed with animals az animals and
with plants AZ plants Finally, tho last
week of the, course vii! DO devoted 70
were, Of geography, and viii Illustrate bit
by bit the natural processes that have de
Yhoped the hills. valleys. brooke aud ponds
Of the observatory, B9t INC ihhuehce OF
tho observatory naturally does not stop
Bat this Is after all only small part OF
tils program of the new institution Its
direct bearing upon economic problems Is
II Ike enitrogen fixing organism for OK
aRpie, which holds the possibility of turn
Ing ths desert of sahara as before men
u6.sd into a earden, This nilcrOhe. which
is stiii SO new Ia scientific recognition that
il has really not been ehristaped, although
Il mas appeared commercially under various
nsnass siyen II by manufacturing compas
Mag lives at the reefs of clover and other
fegauins,ls piantE, and manages, by some
as vt gahDswg process, to. extract nitrogen
from tAs riI VIII the pless ar Essd ika r q
ue nic1ohe sucks nitrogen cat qf tia ala,
using the plant very mueh as q thirsty ssss