The greatest cooperative effort of taxonomists in the United States of America and Canada to study flora of this continent has come to an abrupt end after seven years of preparatory work. Financial support from government agency has been withdrawn and all significant projects have no alternative but to be closed down. (PS)

Discloses the proposed 1977 Federal budget of $24.7 billion for research and development which is an increase of 11 percent in overall Federal obligations and a 9 percent upswing in the applied and basic research portions. (LS)

Argues for increased financial support for scientific research by organizations such as the National Science Foundation as well as federal (Congress and the White House) promotion of the idea that science is an investment for the future. (PB)

Presented are problems related to replacement and purchasing complex laboratory instruments necessary in biological research. Increased costs of equipment and leveling of research support are acknowledged as contributors to the problem. (SA)

Two National Research Council studies investigate the growing number of postdoctoral trainees, particularly in the biomedical fields, and the implications of this postdoctoral pool growth for federal support of pre- and postdoctoral research training. (BB)