The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1913-09-16
SECRET Of FIXING
S[XBEFORE BIRTH
SOUGHT IN PLANTS
Sir Oliver Lodge Sees Hope in
Peculiar Growth of
Blossoms.

BIRMINGHAM. Ensiahd. Sept IL
Unless Sir Oliver Lodge 10 badly do.
iudsd. the plants are yet going to teach
man how he may predete1snine the sea
OF his children. At yesterdays session
OF the British Association for the Ad-
vancement OF Science. Sir oliver nucie-
ated attention by u declaration which
amounts 20 saying that vegetable l!fe
holds the secret for discovery. " men
will md u means Of unwilling II.
There were other interesting matters
before the various sections. but nothing
was attended by so great prick'ng o!
ears ~ Sir divers dissertation. While
confesslng his disappointment at being
unable to solve tho riddle OF sex at this
time. the scientist said there was every
reason for hope. The progerss Of the
last few years. emphasized in the public
mind by the recent case of the Duchess
| OF Noxburghe. was. he thought. . hope.
full light. lie was. however. not pre-
pared to announce any actual solution
| Of the thinx that has puzzled men In all
times. Neither was he ready to agree
| absolutely with the present theories Of
| he super.cuYenists.
The most striking example Of the
variation OF sex. said Sir Oliver. was to
be- found In the Towering trees and
shrubs which bore blooms Of both sexes
In such juxtaposition as to excite won
der. In many cases. he pointed out, the
male flower grew only q few inchss-
| often only the fractional inch--from the
females. They were on the same twig.
fed of the same juices, nourished in the
| same air and sunlight and evolved Ut
l precisely the same time, yet differed In
sex. Probably where the flower Joined
the twiG something delicately obscure
had happened, something which. vital
though II was. had a. yet bsifled dstec-
ton. No microscope had ~ yet been
able to discern an accounting Differ
ence. and there were. he said, no the
ories which misht 10 accepted ~ a.
planning the marvel.
Yet. proceeded uhe scientist. II vas In
such slender trifles ~ these that hu'
manity had again and again discovered
the keys to natures APPALLING vaults. liz
contended that minute study OF thsss
plants would one day Yield an entrances
into the still dim mazes of sex determi
nation,
Spelling reform. that sure pabulum fol
these gatherings, also had an instructiv.
inning. Sir Oliver. who went from one
to the other of the sections, also shoiH
here with the assertion that ne believes
ability to spell lay with Providence
Either one could or could not master tn,
subject. II struck him as quite insmA
terial.
After ALL" said Sir Oliver. tn
spoken language is what counts. and
Ions AZ their force and direction DO no
impaired. Our ancestors were hshtte
10 pay little attention to spelling and
somehow. they got along"
MODERN sPELllN0 IMMORAL
SAYS SCIENTIST.
Sir william Ramsay held that tn
present modes OF spelling were immora
since they wasted time and effort. II
like wise took occasion to criuclse IN
Andrew Carnegie system ~ unsatisfaS
tory and preferred the plan OF the Ens
lish spelling Reform Association.
Tho remarkable effect OF radiuI
ana nations on embryonic and gensl
alive ellis was treated by DR.. Da wso
Turner, lecturer on medical physics &
,arseons' Hall, London The story wa
,oli OF y German scientist who hs
uAed Sadium On troG and Dsodueed
mhpstCeus eee0aaG- - &esek ~ n