THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 29 



no deficit either. The deficit in our own service is due to 

 many causes among the foremost of which are the cost of the 

 rural free deHvery, and the expence of carrying an immense 

 amount of matter for the government free. But deficit, or 

 not, one thing is certain. If the rates are raised on maga- 

 zines every reader will have to pay more for them. If you 

 think you are paying enough as it is, you should call the at- 

 tention of your representatives in house and senate to the fact, 



* * * 



During the past nine years, no less than twenty seven 

 thousand, eight hundred and thirty-one periodicals in this 

 country have suspended publication, and there are only about 

 six thousand left. Those who are of the opinion that maga- 

 zine publishers constitute a majority of the millionaire class 

 may ponder these facts with good results. If the life of the 

 publisher was bound up in his magazine, as his interests are, 

 magazine publishing would be placed by life insurance com- 

 panies among the extra hazardous occupations along with 

 handling dynamite and flying air-ships. Anybody who would 

 like to try publishing, however, will find that there is nothing 

 especially difficult about it. A magazine is a good deal like an 

 air-ship. All you have to do is to make it go and keep it up 



and beware of too much wind. 



H^ ^ =k 



Probably most of our readers are familiar with the name, 

 at least, of the Open Court Publishing Company, of Chicago. 

 The company was formed some fifteen years ago for the pur- 

 pose of publishing books on Philosophy, Science and Relig- 

 ion. The nature of the works published do not ensure for 

 them a very extensive sale, bui. this does not worry the com- 

 pany for it has an endowment fund of one inillion dollars! 

 In considering the publication of a book, then, this company 

 need not be influenced entirely by the likelihood of its becom- 

 ing one of the "six best sellers." If it merits publication it 



