18 The American Biology Teacher [Oct.

Herbs grown for seed should be al- obtained from leading seed companies. lowed to ripen and then harvested just For some of the less commoin ones, the before the seed starts dropping. Place gardener may have to shop around con- the seeds with other attached parts on a siderably to obtain them. paper or cloth to dry. As soon as they To the lover and to those who are dry enough, thresh them out and may become interested in additional remove the dirt and refuse. Then spread herb lore and desire to pursue the knowl- the clean seeds in thin layers on a cloth or edge of to a greater extent, the paper until they are thoroughly cured. following partial list of publications may Store in glass jars. The conditions for be of value:

Herbs-Their Culture and Use. CHARLOTTEP. Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/7/1/18/54971/4437544.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 harvesting, curing, and storing should be BROOKS AND ABBIE GRAHAM, Vermont Agri- the same as those necessary for pre- cultural Extenision Circular 83. 1935. serving the foliage. Among the herbs The Herb Garden. G. P. VANESELTINE, New whose seeds are commonly used are York (Geneva) Agricultural Extension Cir- angelica, , , sweet cicely, cori- cular 157. 1935. Herbs in Cooking. GRACE TABOR, Editor, Gar- ander, , , , , poppy den Department, Woman 's Home Com- (maw), and (bene). panion. (A Woman 's Home Companion Herbs that may be taken up in the fall, Booklet.) potted, and used as house include Savory or Aromatic Herbs in the Kitchen Gar- bush , , pot marigold, sweet den. W. R. BEATTIE, SR., Horticulturist, Bureau of Industry, Unlited States annual , mints, , rose Department of Agriculture. geranium, , and lemon verbena. Culinary Herbs. University of Minnesota, Agri- Most of the herbs mentioned can be cultural Extension Circular 54. 1936.

A Simple Motor-patternTest

GERTRUDE S. EVANS William Waldo Blackman Laboratory, The New York Medical College

Three minutes in a biology classroom the first line) and adds the final dot. is enough to administer a simple student With his pencil in his other hand, he motor-pattern test. draws first the straight line to the right, Distribute sheets of paper with a line followed by the straight line to the left. ruled down the middle, one column This is the beginning of the test, in which marked for right-hand work and the he is instructed to make in succession, other for left. As the student makes the one under the other, a circle, triangle, design called for, he places a dot over figure-of-eight, square, and watch-spring the end point. This gives the direction spiral. Do not illustrate on the black- of the drawing. The design should be board, as this is suggestive and influ- left slightly open at the end; this slight ences the test. The student first uses break emphasizes the direction of line, the dominant hand, completing the five for the study of the tests. designs in one column. He then repeats Pencil in the dominant hand, the stu- the five designs with the other hand, in dent draws a straight line to the right the other column. The pencil is not to and places a dot over the end; he then be lifted from the paper while drawing draws a straight line to the left (under the design, which must not be retouched. 19441 A Simple Motor-pattern Test 19

ANALYSIS In analysis, notice at what point in the In studlying the results one notes that design it is started and ended (top or the clesignis are either clockwise or coun- bottom, left or right) and whether the terelockwise; why the student selects spiral begins in the center or oin the out- the directioii he does is of interest, and side. Study direction and firmness of suggests certain associations of motor line, proportion and size variation. Ob- patterins. serve gradual improvement or deteriora- Having mlade the circle in one direc- tion, abrupt changes in rotation or size. tion, the other designs may follow the Percentages can be taken in a group, and same direction, showing routine effort. these compared with another group. This may produce the best results if the This test is an attempt to analyze the Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/7/1/18/54971/4437544.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 student relies on experienee and train- control of movements by brain centers. ing. It mnay indicate his action com- We miiay wonder whether we can im- plex in other occupations or processes. prove this control, which is supposed to Or, we may find the student interferes, come from the dominant side of the or experiments as he draws, changing brain. We might try exercises in the direction of rotation. This m-ay pro- movements of this test by using both duce better or worse results, for various hands simultaneously for a short time reasons too lengthy to detail here, bu t each day. By means of simultaneous noticeable. "lirror" and "copy" writing, respec- Having found from the work of the tively, we introduce different controls. dominant hand whether the student 's This is not essentially different from performnaneeis to be classed as rottine, swimmningor learning to play the piano. expertmental, careless, or excellent, com- Movements of a separate discriminative pare the second five designs, one by one. nature are considered cortical. Regular, If the circle is drawn in the samiiediree- rhythmic movements (walkinig, swim- tion of rotation, it is a copy pattern; if ming, flyinig) become transferred, so far in the reverse direction, it is a mirror as direct control is concerned, to the pattern. If all are copy patterns or all cerebellum. But complicated move- mirror patterns, it is an interesting light miients acquire character through the on the muotoractivity of the individual. basal ganglia of the cerebrum. Here the A straight copy pattern differs from- a thalamus is a great sensor reception straight mirror pattern in the action of center, anld the striate body a motor cen- the brain, presumably selected for best ter, where muscle moveluents are reg- results. (In breast-stroke swilm-ming,the ulated in very individual patterns, and two arms mlovein m-irrorpatterns.) combined, so that once acquired they are The circle and the letter "O0' are as- resistant to modification. sociated in the minds of those who write. In testing defense workers as a group, ROBERT LIVINGSTON JOHNSON; president and college students as a group, a dif- of Temple UTniversity, has announced that The Rockefeller Foundation has granted the ferenee in direction of rotation was university's biology department $6,200 to noted. The college students to a high carry on immunologic work for the next two percentage rotated the circle counter- years. The research will be directed by James A. Harrison, Professor of Biology. clockwise; the defense workers did not. It is a question whether people write as SECRETARY-TREASURER RUSSELL announces they draw or draw as they write, by that the November issue will be the last one sent to those who have not renewed their association. imiembership.