The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26
FLORA PLEASES
GREAT BOTANIST
Professor Hugo de NrieS
Comes TO Give Theories
on Origin of Species
TELLS OF HIS PURPOSES
With q Simple Primrose
Scientist Will Explain
: Some of His Achievements
Berkeley once san Francisco Cali
cIzs Center Street, June p.

eIz8 Center Street, June >.
Professor hugo de Vries. the great
est Of botanists. arrived from the East
this morning to take up his work as
q member OF The faculty Of the sum
1ner school at tie University Of Cali
forria. The trip across sea and con-
tineut was a trial Of the scientists
strength. for he is bordering on 20
wears ot age He renewed his youth,
however. when he found himself in the
midst ~ vistas crowded with his be-
loved flowers More than anything else
was ne pleased with the Berkeley prim-
roses. 1t is the primrose that has sur
rendered to him so much Of its secret
that has a bearing on the theories Of
the origin Of life.
Why" he said. i find growing
everywhere varieti@e Of the very prim
rose that have been educating these
last twenty years. I had no idea that
the fora Of California was so diverse.
II is really wonderful-wonderful."
Professor de Vries is a famous bot
anist As a seeker into the mysteries
OF being. through the agency Of fora,
he has met with signal success All
his achievements have been accom-
plished al the University Of Amster-
dam. Holland. where a great deal more
attention is devoted TO the botanical
science than in any other country
TWENTY YEARS LABOR.
Professor de Vries has experimental
with thousands Of varieties Of flowers
and thousands Of varieties OF prim-
roses. After twenty years he succeed
Cd in showing that there is a wide gap
between a certain variety Of primrose
and its offspring-so different in it's
form and shape AID color that they
seem 70 hold nothing in common. APP
piled 10 other forms Of life these re-
suits point TO the conclusion that these
wide gaps have occurred elsewhere in
nature and have been a distinguishing
part of its phenomena.
Some Of the seeds Of the evening
primrose that 1 found in a state OF
mutation in Holland I have sent here"
Professor de Nries said, and I expect
10 use the blooms from them in my
demonstrations at the summer school
Ny work here will consist largely in an
explanation OF my investigations into
The origin Of species and varieties and
The bearing upon the theories Of evo-
luton"
VISITS YANKEE BOTANISTS.
Since leaving Holland Professor de
Tries has visited a number of Ameri-
can botanists. At Columbia Univer-
sity the degree Of doctor Of science was
conferred upon him He crossed the
continent via the south, visiting the
desert laboratory Of the Carnegie In
stitute at Tucson and the California
orange groves. During his visit here
he viii call upon Luther Burbank Of
Santa Rosa, the horticulturist, whose
fame is hardly less widespread than
that Of Professor de Nries.
Among the other members OF the
summer school faculty to arrive to-
day were Professor James Ward, fell
low OF Trinity College and professor of
mental philosophy at the University
Of Cambridge, England. who viii give
instruction in psychology; Professor
Frank NJ McMurry, professor Of the
theory and practice of teaching in
Teachers College. Columbia Univer-
sity, and Reginald A DAILY. geologist
70 Canada for the international
Boundary Commission.