20 The Microscope. 



" It is proposed that all the present members of the Society 

 invite such young men of their acquaintance to become members as 

 may be deemed suitable, upon the inducement that they shall receive 

 instruction at special meetings held for that purpose. At these 

 meetings the use of new apparatus will be illustrated, methods of 

 making the various sorts of preparations will be demonstrated, and 

 the members will be ready to give their experience in meeting the 

 difficulties which arise in this work. 



" It is also proposed, that the new members be allotted among 

 the older members, upon whom they may call for advice or assistance 

 in case of difficulties arising in their work." 



We further urge upon secretaries of societies to promptly report 

 their proceedings for publication. Nothing so stimulates the work 

 of a society as well-written and promptly-published proceedings. 

 With these few hints acted upon, we are certain we should see a 

 marvelous awakening in the study of our science. 



A COMMUNICATION, entitled "American Microscopes — A com- 

 plaint," has recently appeared in Science, over the signature of one of 

 our best-known biologists and teachers. The whole article is a bitter 

 — it seems to us — condemnation of instruments and lenses made by 

 American manufacturers, and closes with this somewhat remarkable 

 sentence : 



" I know positively that many of the best scientific men of 

 America are ready to join me in saying, as I said at the beginning, 

 that there is no American microscope which we would like to buy 

 at any price for our own use." 



We regret that our space forbids us at this time taking up a 

 detailed survey of this complaint, but in justice to American makers, 

 instruments and objectives, we desire briefly to review some of the 

 most prominent objections made by the writer in Science; and while 

 we, perhaps, have not had the extensive experience of that gentleman, 

 our ac(piaintance with the subject is sufficient to warrant us in so 

 doing. 



" The fundamental error," says this writer, "in American man- 

 ufacture is that they are for the most part constructed with a view 

 of, I might say, entrapping inexperienced purchasers," and the zeal 

 of the maker is turned too much to " decorative laquering and nickel- 

 plating," and a large number of mechanical contrivances are added 

 to the stand, which increase the expense, and " are not really com- 

 mendable." If this is tnie, it is a very serious fault, but with our 



