THE MICROSCOPE. 155 



Some of these remarks do not, perhaps, apply to the publica- 

 tion of purely original investigations; but those are in pages, not 

 in volumes ; and are addressed, except in periodicals, to a very 

 limited audience. The dilitante are to the scientific in num- 

 bers as hundreds to one. I, a useless dabbler myself, speak, I 

 think, for the vast majority when I say that if some part of the 

 extra price we have paid for American scientific literature has 

 found its way into the pocket of the needy author, or has made 

 publication possible for what would otherwise have remain- 

 ed in manuscript, we are satisfied. It is little enough to ask of 

 us. Science cannot flourish in any country without artificial 

 encouragements. If it were not for the princely munificence of 

 private individuals who have endowed our educational institu 

 tion and kindred enterprises we would not have any purely sci- 

 entific men worth speaking of, because theirs is not a money - 

 making business. The greatest scientists are not the greatest 

 book- worms. Those who read most discover least. It is desir- 

 able to encourage not absorption, but investigation. I doubt 

 if the cause of science ever suffered because an original investi- 

 gator did not have money to buy more books. Those who would 

 derive pleasure or profit from the discoveries of others are the 

 great book-buyers and why not let them pay for them ? At the 

 highest they do not give anything like what the information 

 costs, or is worth. My preference is for increasing the author's 

 royalty instead of cutting down his market. 



Before the passage of the new copyright law we were at liberty to 

 republish English works without paying a copper for the brains 

 that were in them. Of course, the effect of the law is to increase 

 the price of certain books and yet I suspect that even the editor 

 of this periodical favored its enactment. If he did, he must ad- 

 mit that cheapness is not after all, the only element to be con- 

 sidered. 



To Mount Volvox. — Prepare a medium as follows : Copper 

 acetate 8 grains, glycerine 4 oz., camphor water 2 oz., glacial 

 acetic acid 10 drops, water 2 oz. Mix these ingredients and fil- 

 ter the product, mount as usual. 



To Mount Fresh-Water Algae. — Take acetate of potash 1 

 part, water 2 parts, mix. If crystals form add more water. 

 This medium will not destroy the chlorophyl. 



