Biological

Last Thursday evening we sought the Biological Society with the intention of reporting its meeting from the point of view of a non-scientist. We finally ran it to earth in a lecture-room enclosing between its pale green walls Professor Kirk, some 20 earnest students, three cases of assorted skeletons, a totara twig, a large coral, tables and chairs infected with the Jitterbug craze, and two bodies covered, one in a shroud, the other in a battle-scarred N.Z. ensign.

Seemingly unaffected by this unique lecture hall, Mr. A. J. T. Barker, in his clear and simple address, first outlined the development of the theory of photoperlodism from 1920 to the present day, and then gave a detailed analysts of the experimental work in vernalisation of crops carried out since 1918 by Lysenko, Gassner, and their associates. After discussing phasic development and the work of Eremenko and others, he proceeded to apply some of this theory to a series of practical examples.

A technical and—according to the science students present—concisely excellent exposition of the physiological causes of vernalisation, preceded what were to us the most interesting parts of Mr. Barker's address, his proposition of a heresy which was not examination material, and brief note on scientific work in Russia since 1917.

Mr. Barker is to be congratulated on reviving the custom of a presidential address. He has set a high standard for his successors in office.—Frank.