Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-27
TIMES REPUBLICAN, MARshALlTOWN, uwA JULY ~ 1918

and collecting the flora Of the hillsides.
swamps, or shady pools, returning to
classify them In the cool OF their own
shade trees. The next they spend In
studying the habitnts Of the birds that
are SO abundant and dredging the lake
for shell forms. There have been over
one-hundred varieties found In the
Mtller's bay vicinity.
What atmospheric conditions cause
a tender violet to bloom beside woody
stream, while the coarsest thistle
springs up In the fields, to strangle the
corn when blowing is late. these bottom
lists are at the laboratory to find out.
To aid In better cultivation Of the soil
Is the practical aim Of the work. Our
fields If left to themselves would go to
weeks. The grain has to be petted and
pampered and all obstacles to Its growth
removed before 1t will thrive. BY study
ing the plants which are native to the
ground and the soil and atmospheric
conditions necessary for their growth,
these young scientists are aiding great
~ in the conservation OF natural re-
sources.
Special Problems For Students.
To make the work independent, each
student is given a special problem OF
his own to work on during the session.
One may be seen placing small pan
Of water on the laboratory porch. car
rying second up to the fields In the
rear placing another on the lake. Shore
and despositing etill another up glade
In the deep woods nearby, These are
for testing the distribution Of moisture
in the air, he will explain to n puzzled
onlooker. Hourly he visits each pan
with his instruments and measures the
amount OF evaporation which takes
place. Atmospheric humidity Is vital
to the growth Of q plant, as the mir,
with It's carbon, furnishes more than
half OF the solid food Of the plant.
In discussing the value OF the great
lakes OF Iowa for a research laboratory.
one of the latter's promoters said;
The lakes OF Iowa have been neg
lected. They are the property OF the
state and like any piece OF property Of
the state left INTENDED our lakes have
been abused. and are just now coming
into their own"
| Attic in other years some thirty or
forty students from Aines. Grinnell,
Cedar Falls. Morningside and the uni
verslty of Iowa have gathered on Mill
er's bay under a teaching force Of from
five to seven SCIENTISTS. only the last two
colleges now are represented. Twelve
students. In spite Of unfavorable con-
ditions In the country this summer are
| investigating physical geography and
plant distribution.
Patriotic Lectures a Feature.
Patriotic lectures on war subjects are
given every Sunday afternoon. In addi-
| ton to the work and entirely apart from
1t. by Prof. B. Shemik, who Is adequate
| ly informed on conditions in Europe so
as to be very instructive.
Professor Shemik. whose parents fled
from Bohemia with the '4Sers to esca pc
the autocratic government Of Austria.
| was In Germany on the day the great
| war broke out. Forced to flee to
Switzerland. he later made his way
| back thru Germany to America. He
has had unusual opportunity TO study
European political conditions and has
been in great demand as speaker
| since his return to this country To
these Sunday afternoon talks many
people come from the surrounding
country and towns.
The laboratory CLOSES this summer
on Aug. /.