154 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [August, 



summer meetings of the great societies is the spread of knowledge into new 

 channels which they effect. Shall this be a matter of a few days in August, 

 or cannot some means be devised whereby the good can be made joerennial ? 

 It has seemed to us that the local societies, which are some of them semi- 

 dormant, can be stimulated by an efficient organization into useful activity. 



Should any plans for organization be put into operation the movers of 

 them may count upon the hearty co-operation of ih\?, J^ournal^ both in urging 

 the importance of the matter of the societies falling in with it and in helping 

 the chapters in any way with plans for work. We trust it may be a subject 

 of serious consideration in the August meeting. 



Human interference in the economy of nature brings about some aston- 

 ishing results which may well caution man to learn as well as possible the 

 conditions which regulate the existing order of things before he attempts to 

 modify it for his own good. To one who thoughtfully looks at the facts of 

 science a wonderful balance is apparent, and he finds an extremely intricate 

 set of inter-relations determining the natural conditions as he finds them. 

 In New Zealand the introduction of the European rabbit has so far disturbed 

 the natural balance of the native fauna that it has overrun everything. This 

 we see to be due to his removal from the antagonism of the various competi- 

 tors — foxes, for instance — which in his native land contended with him for a 

 livelihood. Man, who disturbs the balance of nature, does not sufficiently 

 know the conditions to provide all the checks which would prevent the ex- 

 cess he cannot foresee. We have another instance of the same fact, in the in- 

 troduction into our own country of the English sparrow, which has done more 

 than all the hat trimmers, ruthless as they are, to exterminate our native song 

 birds. This law is to be noted as general ; we cannot be too careful when we 

 attempt to modify nature for our own good. The cutting down of forests too 

 extensively will, it is urged, make desert many places now fertile. The ex- 

 termination of many wild native animals before man's entering into possession 

 of our West is certain in some instances and accomplished in others. One 

 entomologist of our acquaintance proposed, for the extermination of an intro- 

 duced pestiferous insect which had gotten established in this country away 

 from his natural enemies and throve proportionately, to introduce the enemies, 

 whereby, he thought, the pest could be kept in bounds. This, we believe, 

 was successfully attempted. What a comfort, if an enemy of the mosquito, 

 harmless to man, could be found who would thin the ranks of that pest. 

 Many of man's interfei^ences are resulting favorably, and others proposed 

 commend themselves at once. Thus the artificial propagation offish for food 

 and the legislation to prevent the extermination of the oyster. A survey of 

 the facts would show that the improvement in our knowledge of the condi- 

 tions of existence of animals and plants of economic importance is the key to 

 the great problem, how shall we prevent the means of living from becoming 

 too scarce as the increased population makes heavier and heavier demands 

 upon it. It is certain that we cannot expect to successfully answer this ques- 

 tion if we permit men to take their own course, and also certain that the only 

 answer to be found is in an increasingly perfect knowledge of the laws of the 

 interaction of extensive natural phenomena which man must learn to guide. 

 Prof. Huxley in a recent review of the future of the poor finds the solution of 

 the question in their education. The only true and lasting improvement is 

 to be sought here, and not in any chance discovery of new mines, coal-beds, 

 or fishing grounds, and forms of new food fish, much as they may lend to 

 a temporary help, they are in their nature exhaustible, and we must learn 

 nature so as to make her production exceed man's drain upon her stores. 



