404 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



presumably of interest to their particular public, assuming a general 

 familiarity with the field represented. This implies a necessary 

 limitation upon a journal, which the contributors of articles are 

 expected to observe, and an obligation on the part of the editors if a 

 publication of distinctive and high grade character is to be main- 

 tained. 



It is to be assumed that the reader of technical papers know 

 something of the subjects treated — that he is enough of a specialist 

 to understand the bearings of the contributions. His primary in- 

 terest in any particular case is in learning just what definite contri- 

 bution the author has made, and how he has attained his end. He 

 needs to have a sufficient general survey of the literature to make it 

 clear where the author took up the subject. But this does not mean 

 a complete review of all previous studies, dating back to the incep- 

 tion of the subject; and to give page after page of citation and 

 summary lengthens the paper quite unnecessarily. Most scientific 

 articles are not designed as monographs, and they are not written 

 for the wholly uninitiated or to serve as text-books, but primarily to 

 record new progress. 



The first step is to secure an orderly and effective presentation, 

 one which will enable the reader to get readily a connected and 

 intelligent idea of the findings. This implies an orderly sequence in 

 the mind of the writer, with ability to put himself constantly in the 

 position of the reader. It requires painstaking work. Evidence of 

 haste and lack of consideration in the presentation of scientific work 

 is far more conspicuous than it sliould be. Years are spent in at- 

 taining results and only hours in presentation. Men often seem im- 

 patient of effort spent in trying to secure a clear, concise form of 

 statement of their studies, and once their paper is written have a 

 strong aversion to change ; but it is upon this care and clearness that 

 a just conception of the work and permanent recognition will largely 

 rest. 



It is said of the late Dr. S. W. Johnson that his writings repre- 

 sented the very best he was capable of. As his biographer says: 

 " He was constitutionally incapable of turning off work hastily. Not 

 only must his knowledge of the point involved be exhaustive and 

 accurate, but each paragraph even if of minor importance was re- 

 written many times before it was parted with ; when finally sent off 

 it was as clear as it could well be made, representing the best he could 

 do with the subject." In this day of much writing such an example 

 is well worthy of imitation. 



A printed paper is a permanent product. It can not be revised 

 and rearranged and amplified like a lecture, but it must stand as it is 

 issued. It is printed presumably because it contains something 



