1897. NOTES AND COMMENTS. 227 



On the other hand, Congress has recently passed a resolution 

 providing for the gratuitous distribution of the topographic maps and 

 geological atlases of the U.S. Geological Survey, to the number of 

 500, among foreign governments and various learned bodies and 

 institutions. 



It seems, if we may venture to say so, that the whole system of 

 distribution of these American Government publications requires 

 reform. It is absurd on the face of it that they should be, like 

 wisdom, " not to be purchased for gold " ; while their free distribu- 

 tion entails enormous waste, hundreds of copies going to persons that 

 have no need for them. Still more absurd is it that a book should 

 lie perdu in the printing office for two or three years after it has been 

 printed, because of some absurd official restriction. Absurd also 

 that there should be so many editions of the same work, simply to 

 provide the printers with what we believe they term " fat." We are 

 therefore glad to learn from Science that there is a bill now before 

 Congress calculated to effect some improvement in these matters. It 

 will have the best wishes of all friends of American scientific men, 

 whose earnest labour is so often dissipated by the wheels within 

 wheels of a creaking official machine. 



The U.S. Department of Agriculture. 



We have recently called attention to the desire of American 

 scientific men for greater organisation in the scientific work of the 

 Government. An important step in this direction would undoubtedly 

 be the appointment of a permanent director of scientific work for the 

 Department of Agriculture, A bill for this purpose was introduced 

 by the last Senate, and we learn from Science that the estimates for 

 the next financial year recommend an appropriation of $6,000 per 

 annum for this office. The Secretary of Agriculture under the new 

 administration is the Hon. J. Wilson, of Iowa, who is Director of the 

 Iowa Agricultural Station and Professor of Agriculture in the Iowa 

 Agricultural College. It is therefore probable that his practical 

 experience will make him a strong supporter of the above proposal. 



Apropos of this Department Secretary Morton has recently called 

 attention to the inadequacy of the salaries paid to the officials, in 

 consequence of which the Department is constantly losing some of its 

 ablest and best workers. " Thirty-two leading scientific experts 

 have left the Department during the last few years to take positions 

 in other institutions, at a rate of remuneration averaging fully 50 per 

 cent, more than they received from the Government of the United 

 States." Britons will find a ready parallel to this state of things 

 in their own Natural History Museum, one of whose chief functions 

 is to train untried youths for the service of more far-sighted 

 institutions. 



