Evening star. [volume], January 10, 1937, Page A-6, Image 6

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
ILLNESS IS FATAL
TO DR. F. V. COVILLE
Botanist of Agriculture De
partment Dies at His
Home Here.
Dr. Frederick Vemon Coville, 69,
botanist of the Agriculture Depart
ment since 1893, director of the Na
tional Arboretum and life trustee
ef the National Geographic Society,
died yesterday at his home, 1836
California street, after a brief illness.
His scientific achievement*, includ
ing development of the blueberry and
other important new varieties of
fruits, were known throughout the
field of botany and agricultural re
search. He was author of numerous
papers on the subjects of his research.
Dr. Coville was a native of Preston,
N. Y.. where he was born March 23,
1867, the son of Joseph A. and Lydia
Coville. He was married in 1890 to
Miss Elizabeth Harwood Boynton of
Lockport, N. Y., who survives him.
Surviving also are three sons and
one daughter, Stanley Coville of New
"Lisbon, N. J.; Mrs. Chester C. Wood
bum of Des Moines, Iowa; Cabot Co
ville, second secretary of the United
8tates Embassy at Tokio, Japan, and
Frederick Covill of Atkinson, N. C„
and eight grandchildren. I. Marie and
Stanley B. Coville; William, Coville,
Chester and Boynton Woodburn, and
Gilbert Groevenor ' Coville and Cabot
Coville, jr.
Funeral Rites Monday.
Funeral services for Dr. Coville will
be held in Explorers' Hall of the Na
tional Geographic Society administra
tion building on Sixteenth street at 3
p.m. Monday. Fellow officers and
trustees of the society, scientists and
friends will pay their last tributes.
Services will be In charge of Dr. U. O.
B. Pierce, pastor of AH Souls' Uni
tarian Church. The remains will be
cremated.
Dr. Coville received his A. B. degree
from Cornell University in 1887. He
was an outstanding athlete at Cornell,
being adjudged the best general ath
lete at the New York State Intercol
legiate meet of 1887. The degree of
doctor of science was conferred upon
him by George Washington University
In 1921.
After receiving his degree in 1887,
Dr. Coville served at Cornell as in
structor in botany until 1888, when he
became assistant botanist of the De
partment of Agriculture here. In 1893
he became botanist. He played an
Important part in scientific activities
In Washington.
Dr. Coville was honorary curator of
plants of the national herbarium of
t' e National Museum from 1893 until
his death; adviser to the Carnegie
Institution of Washington from 1902
to 1905; vice president of the section
rn botanical science of the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science, 1903. and president of the
Botanical Society of America in 1903.
Member of Societies.
Dr. Coville was a member, at the
time of his death, of the . Ecological
Society of America, the Washington
Biological Society, of which he was
president, in 1899; the Washington
Society of Sciences (president in 1912)
and the Association of American Geog
raphers. He also was a member of
the Cosmos Club, which he served as
president in 1915, and the Arts Club,
of which he was president from 1927
to 1929.
His scientific investigations in the
field led to an early interest in geog
raphy. In 1895 he became a life
trustee of the National Geographic
Society. Since 1920 he had served as
ehairman of its Research Committee,
determining and helping arrange many
Important expeditions sent to all parts
Of the world.
Dr. Coville's greatest contribution to
Science was perhaps the “taming” of
the wild blueberry in the bogs of Cen
tral New' Jersey. Prior to his long and
patient work, the Nation's blueberry
crop was picked from native bushes.
Dr. Coville not only cultivated the
blueberry but vastly improved its size
and quality. This paved the way for
an industry that yields much revenue
In New Jersey and other States.
Pursuing an entirely original course,
Dr. Coville decided the best way to
tame the blueberry was "to treat it
rough.” Instead of enriching the soil,
he chose the harsh, acid soil of the
pine barrens of New Jersey, composed
of leaf peat and sand, and exposed
test plants to the rigors of Winter
rather than protecting them in green
houses,
Large Berries Produced.
His labors produced blueberries the
Size and color of Concord grapes, re
sults that answered those who cited
60 years of failures on the part of
•XDerimenters.
The National Geographic Magazine
tarried in February, 1911, Dr. Coville's
first public report on the success of
his blueberry experiments. The inter
est it aroused here and abroad led '
to a second article. "The Wild Blue- !
berry Tamed—the New Industry of the
Pine Barrens,” in June, 1916.
Dr. Coville predicted In his 1911
article that blueberry seedlings or
cuttings would bear in from 5 to 10
years under proper culture. Additional
experimentation demonstrated com
mercial crops could be secured when
the seedlings were only three years
Old, and a crop three times as large
when four years old. His second article
described these and other new develop
ments.
Dr. Coville's blueberry experiments
were important not only because of
their practical value in establishing
a new agricultural industry, but also
from the fact that they have given
the world much new knowledge as to
the causes of plant distribution. Pre
vious to Dr. Coville’s work, the acidity
of soils was not definitely recognized
as a factor or of primary importance
In the plant distribution. It has since
been known that a large percentage
Of the vegetation of the world is de
pendent on the acidity of soil, and
ean thrive only In acid soils. This
explains the reason for the geographi
cal distribution of a vast body of plants
Whose extent and limitations of growth
previously were not understood.
Wrote Other Articles.
Dr. Coville also wrote a number of
ether articles for the National Geo
graphic Magazine, showing such
diversity of interest and subject mat
ters as "The Quills of the Porcupine”
and the "Cultivation of the May
flower.” In 1917 he wrote an article.
"War, Patriotism and Food Supply,”
for the National Geographical Maga
zine in which he pointed out means
and methods of increasing and con
serving the natural food supply of
the United States, and urged all who
could to produce some food. He was
one of the first to advocate tzar gar
dens for city dwellers.
Among Dr. Coville's more important
technical papers, printed by the Gov
ernment and hot various scientific
New War Department Site Vital Part of “Northwest Rectangle”
ICAPITOLIP
This air view shotting seat
of operations of the Federal
Government, especially new
buildings erected in the past
five years on both sides of the
Mall, for many different agen
cies, indicates in the fore
ground, how the site for the
new War Department occupies
an important part in the so
called “Northicest Rectangle.”
On this site, outlined in
white, recommended bi/Presi
dent Roosevelt to Congress in
his budget, will be erected a
building to “balance” with,
and probably look something
like the new Interior Depart
ment Building (No. 5 in the
picture). The tiny triangles
marked “X" on either side of
the new War Department site
are not to be used for the
actual construction of build
ings. but will be rearranged by
realignment of New York ave
nue southward so as to be of
similar size.
In the picture are seen the
new War Department site. No.
I: the present location of the
Secretary of War and his im
mediate staff, in the old State,
War and Navy Building, No.
2: the old Interior Building,
No. 3: the huge development
known as the Federal Build
ing Triangle, No. 4; the new
Interior Department Building,
Scientist Dies
I _
DR. FREDERICK V. COVILLE.
societies, are: “Botany of the Death
Valley Expedition,” “Forest Growth
and Sheep Grazing,” "The Willow's
of Alaska,” "Desert Botanical Labora
tory of the Carnegie Institution"
(which laboratory Dr. Coville was in
strumental in founding I and “The
Influence of Cold in Stimulating the
Growth of Plants.”
In a letter to Dr. Coville last De
cember, Secretary Wallace compli
mented Dr. Coville on his most recent
report of blueberry breeding work,
adding, "The paper is unusually in
teresting from the standpoint of sci
ence, and you have managed to fill
it with a human quality that is rare
in scientific writing.”
Dr. Coville was the dean of the
scientific staff of the Department of
Agriculture, having entered the Gov
ernment service as a scientist in July,
1888.
The highest horticultural honor
given in America was bestowed upon
him in 1931 when the Massachusetts
Horticultural Society awarded to him
the George Robert White Gold Medal
of Honor "for eminent service in hor
ticulture."
Dr. Coville was a director of the
Washington Loan & Trust Co., a di
rector of the Equitable Building and
Loan Association and a member of
the Advisory Board of the American
Automobile Association. ‘
Many Paris "Bomb Cellar*.
PARIS (A*).—Half the population of
Paris could find shelter in bombproof
cellars, in the event of a bomb attack,
the police say.
Cellars equipped to resist bombard
ments would accommodate a million
and a half. Two subway stations have
been made bomb and gas proof, and
other underground stations are deep
enough to afford protection for 500,
000 persons.
Terms.
RIGHT OVER
THE OLD
8HINGLE8^^6
ii ENTERPRISE
fj ROOFING CO.
N 2125 R. I. Avo. N.E. Pot. 0200
ANNUAL FOOD SHOW
OPENS TOMORROW
.
Prizes of Merchandise to Be
Awarded Twice Daily Dur
ing Week.
The Sixth Annual Pood Show of the
United Food Stores will open at Cal
vert Hall tomorrow night. • Several
public officials, including District
Commissioners, have been invited to
attend as special guests.
Morris Kraft, president of the United
Stores, and Alfred L. Stern, managing
director of the show', will be joint mas
ters of ceremony. They will introduce
the guests and award prizes of mer
chandise and food products each aft
ernoon and evening during the week.
Music will be furnished by the Chest
nut Farms Band of more than 50
pieces. Other entertainment will be
presented along with the prize awards.
Among special features planned for 1
the week are a baby show to be held
every afternoon starting Tuesday, an
amateur contest, a contest to select |
the man most like President Roosevelt ;
in general appearance and radio voice,
Imitations of movie and radio stars I
and entertainment by members of the
Washington Boys' Club.
In addition to 50 food distributor*
and manufacturers, booths have been
assigned to the Columbia Polytechnic
Institute for the Blind and the Wash
ington Boys' Club.
Members of the Pood Show Com
mittee are Kraft and Stern, Meyer
Sodv, vice president; David Abraham,
treasurer; David Hornstein. counsel,
and Samuel Goldstein, manager of the
United Stores. ,
Heads Entertainment Group.
Miss Ellen Woodward, assistant
works progress administrator, was
named yesterday chairman of a Com
mittee on Entertainment for Mis
sissippians coming here for the in
auguration of the President.
illAUGURALDAY
PARKING 51°°
Ail nay
ROOM FOR 1,000 CARS
MAKE RESERVATIONS NOW
1 Blacks From Capital
tlnni Constitution Asa. at Pa. Are.
Municipal Center Parking Lot
Phone Met. 6386
Accurately Predict
Weather 8 to 24
Hours in Advance
____a_
Cape Cod
Weather
Glasses
regularly $1.25
THIS
WEEK
ONLY
t Thousands of Cape
Cod's are acting as
■•weather men” in
Washington homes and
offices.
I A colorful addition ...
decorative hand-blown
antique reproductions
of the glasses used on
the Yankee Clippers of
1650.
I Fun to own . • . and
reliable.
—— — — — — — 1
Mail and Phone Orders |
Call District 9400
THE HECHT CO.,
Washington, D. C.
Nome- M.0.0 |
Street_C.O.D.D J
City_Stote.Chk.D I
No. Copt Cod's at $1
ch,.n
^(Optical Shop. Main Floor!
THE HECHT CO.
F Street at Seventh
soon to be occupied, No. 5; the
Navy Department Building,
No. 6; the Munitions Building,
housing 3.063 officers and
clerks of the War Department,
No. 7: the Naval Hospital. No.
S: and National Institute of
Health, which some day may
be used as part of the new
Naval Hospital. No. 9: and the
site of the "proposed" new
building for the Headquarters
Company, U. S. Army, No. 10.
:• The so-called "Northwest
Rectanglecontrasting with
the distant “Federal Triangle."
can be seen definitely outlined
in the foreground bounded by
Constitution avenue on the
south. Seventeenth street on
the east. F street on the north,
and running westward toward
the Potomac River. Event
ually it is believed the Goi'ern
•ment will fill all this area in
with public buildings and
parks. On the site of the new
War Department are seen four
large apartments: The Poto
mac, at Twenty-first and C
streets: Mayfair, 2115 C; both
of which are now oicned by,
the Government; the River
side. 2145 C street, and Boule
vard. 2121 New York avenue.
—Star Staff Photo by Wilkin
son.
Psychic Message Council
1100 Twelfth St. N.W.
Cornar of 12th and "L"
GROUP MEETINGS DAILY
Grace Gray De Long, Reader
Personal interviews for spiritual help
and guidance may be arranged by a
visit to the Council House or Telephone
Metropolitan 5234.
f7 REAL
Apiano
jJVAUlES
•
The latest In piano
ityles ... fits in a very
small space and yet it
has a full keyboard.
Very handsomely de
signed and well-built
throughout.
Pay $2 Weekly
toWaoy
A splendid little full
keyboard piano that’s
just the right size for
a very small apart
ment and an unusual
value at this extreme
ly low price.
Pay $1.50 Weekly
With piano prices ris
ing fast this value is
one we don’t think
you’ll be able to dupli
cate at this price. It
has a nice mahogany
case and is well-toned.
Pey 52 Weekly
Arthu Jordan
drmXKM. & hamuVlZ
500 COLLEGE OFFICIALS
TO ATTEND CONVENTION
“Contributions to Liberal Educa
tion” Theme of Program
Opening Thursday.
The Association of American Col
leges will hold its twenty-third an
nual convention Thursday and Fri
day at the Mayflower Hotel. Approxi
mately 500 college presidents, deans
and other officials from as many mem
ber institution* are expected to at
tend.
"Contributions to Liberal Education
in the College” Is the theme of the
program which will be discussed
Thursday morning by Prof. William
E. Hocking of Harvard University r nd
President Meta Glass of Bweet Hilar
College. The same session will hear
reports of the president of the associa
tion, James R. McCain: Dr. Robert L.
Kelly, executive secretary. *nd Le Roy
E. Kimball, treasurer.
The meeting will close with a
round table luncheon Friday.
I I
■W.Jb.'XlQSlsfyCc.
to beat rising prices
i
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the available stock of this popular suite from the manu
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Beautiful swirl walnut with a
soft lustrous finish. Striking
matched veneers on fronts of
all pieces. Large mirrors.
Ample drawer space; dresser
and chest drawers carry divis
ions and compartments.
$I4900
Unlike most modern furniture, this suite is conservative—en
thusiastic acceptance of its quiet beauty has convinced us that
you too, will like it. We advise your early inspection.
Matching Pieces:
Vanity Bench__$10.95
Night Table-$13.50
Bedroom Chair_$10.75
JU II..Ill mill ■I|lll I II II.I. I
Two Outstanding Bedding Values Selected |
From Our Stocks
Avon Box Spring
ond Mattress
Each S / 8«9*>
Covered in woven stripe \
tickings.
Pillows:
Curled Chicken Feather
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Live Goose Feather
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All-Goose Down
Each, $4.39
| w. B. Moses tuftless
i Innerspring Mattress &
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Each $27.75
IS Covered in blue damask; made
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Our bedding depart
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W, 3$* Mioses Co*
FINE FURNITURE SINCE 1861
804 Rhode Island Ave: N.E.
IVo Parking Worries Open Until 9 P.M,