XXIV NOTES BY THE EDITOR. 



adjustment, are necessary to justify the deduction of any valid inference. 

 For want of these, the experiment has sometimes failed." 



The measurement of the great Swedish and Russian arc of meridian, from 

 the North Cape to the Danube, has been nearly completed during the past 

 year. 



In Natural Philosophy, the discoveries of Faraday, relative to the mag- 

 netic properties of oxygen, and the application of his results to the expla- 

 nation of all the varied phenomena of terrestrial magnetism, are among 

 the most important of the present century. It is curious to note, respecting 

 this great man, that while he was occupied with this most intricate sub- 

 ject, he was also employing his leisure time in giving juvenile lectures on 

 the physical forces, at the Royal Institution. The discovery of M. Melsens, 

 in relation to the production and refining of sugar, from which so much 

 was anticipated two years since, has proved a failure. Hofmann's re- 

 searches in organic chemistry, published during the past year, have 

 thrown a flood of light upon this branch of chemical science, and lead to 

 the hope that many of the rare and valuable vegetable alkaloids may 

 hereafter be produced abundantly by artificial means. 



Several important movements, favorable to the interests of geological 

 science, were made in the United States during the year 1851. The Legis- 

 lature of Pennsylvania, at their last session, appropriated thirty-two thou- 

 sand dollars for the resumption and completion of the geological survey of 

 that State, which was suspended some years since, on account of financial 

 embarrassments. The survey has been again entrusted to Prof. II. D. 

 Rogers, and during the past summer has been actively prosecuted. Con- 

 sidering the position and mineral wealth of Pennsylvania, this survey is, 

 undoubtedly, one of the most important ever carried on in this country. 



The Illinois Legislature have passed a law authorizing a geological 

 and mineralogical survey of that State, and appropriated three thousand 

 dollars for that object, each year, till the survey be completed. 



A bill, authorizing a geological survey of North Carolina, has been 

 passed by the Legislature of that State, with an appropriation for carrying 

 the same into effect. Dr. Ebenezer Emmons, of Williams College, formerly 

 Geologist to the State of New York, has been appointed to the superin- 

 tendence of the work. 



A geological survey of Indiana has been recommended, by the Governor 

 of that State, to the Legislature. 



The limits of the present work forbid a more extended review of the 

 progress of science during the year 1851. The interest displayed in the 

 prosecution of every department of science, and the valuable results 

 attained to, are in the highest degree gratifying and encouraging. 



