74 Joi'KXAL OF THE MiTCllELL SoCIETY [NoV. 



purpose and sound pedafiocical basis. I finally determined 

 to change the whole point of view, and gave a series of lec- 

 tures on "staple crops and natural resources as affected bj in- 

 dustrial chcmistrv." For illustration, and without going 

 into detail, the cotton crop was discussed : its demands on the 

 fertilizer industry, following the fiber through its changes 

 by bleaching, mercerization, mordanting, dyeing, printing, 

 nitration, etc. ; then following the seed through the mill and 

 the conversion of the hulls into feed and paper, the use of the 

 meal as feedstuff, the refining of the oil, its hydrogenation, 

 the utilization in the soap industry of the waste in refining, 

 the recovery of the glycerine and its nitration. In this way 

 all the subjects treated in former years are covered, but in an 

 entirely different order. The predominating thought is chem- 

 istry in the service of mankind. New conceptions are ob- 

 tained of material blessings, of inter-relations of industries, 

 of utilization of by-products, of advances already made and 

 of promising lines of further advance. At the end of the 

 year there is complete picture in the student's mind, an 

 awakened interest in his material surroundings, a true com- 

 prehension of the part chemistry has played in this industrial 

 development, and, in many cases, a determination formed 

 to joint the ranks of chemists in carrying forward this de- 

 velopment. The results already obtained from such a treat- 

 ment of industrial chemistry abundantly justify the change. 



Speaking to the men of tlio industries I would ask : 



First: Is not your interest in our universities very re- 

 mote, if indeed it exists at all ? 



Yet in them are being trained young men whom, in con- 

 stantly increasing numbers, you will call to your aid to pro- 

 mote the efficienev of your operations and thus enable you to 

 meet the keener competition of the future; in their libraries 

 is a technical literature which will put you in immediate 

 touch with the latest developments in fields of direct interest 

 and importance to you ; and on their staffs of instruction are 

 men trained to think accurately, to investigate skillfully, and 



