402 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Dec. 



to membership. Therefore, every reader of The Microscopical Journal can un- 

 lock the door. Come in. A cordial welcome will be yours, be your work 

 ever so humble. 



A. Cliffoed Mercer, 

 President of the American Microscopical Society. 



Chicago, III., Nov. 15, 1895. 

 808 Morse Ave., Station Y, Chfcago. 



Dear Mr. Smiley : — Your editorial is all right, but for people who have 

 36 hours work in 24 and no pay for it, it is a question how best to help in 

 this matter. First, people disagiee, all are so separated that we cannot get 

 together to make up any work. Then physicians or teachers are a hard clasg 

 to be sure of, one may or may not get away and the other wants a vacation. 

 I am very strongly in favor of practical working sessions. Several members 

 of the Society at the last meeting all stated they had thought they would 

 see how things were done and get practical information. The local societies 

 are in much the same conditi(m and if I may believe what I hear, Buffalo, 

 Pittsburg, San Francisco and Washington head the list in any work. This 

 Society here is weak and the Chicago Academy has not helped it by a great 

 deal. There is an apathy existing and it makes it difficult for a beginner or 

 younger member to stir up the older members. I do not approve of the 

 Journals over here at all. *The Microscope, as edited by Manton, was one of 

 the most valuable periodicals going, but now there is not a decent one ex- 

 isting. The Royal is also going down. I suppose the reason being as I was 

 told the other day — ' ' There is no such thing as Microscopy because it is 

 used in all the Sciences &c., &c. I object most strongly to going into Journal 

 of Morphology, Journals Anatomy and Physiology, Photography, Medicine, 

 Hygiene etc., for micro, work. Micro, work ought to be all collected under 

 departments and give resume of paper but full extraction of the methods 

 in Botany, Fungi, Bacteria, Photography, Histology, &c. I would rather 

 pay more and have a good Journal and save time, annoyance and expense. 



Yours yery truly, 



V. A. Latham. 



*It will be borne in mind by our readers, that the writer of this letter is 

 one of the editors of an English microscopical periodical and that she, an 

 American, sends most of her contributions abroad to be published. — Editor. 



WANTED.— A Watson & Sons " Students Stand D," or a "Van Heurk," 

 must be in a good condition. Address, W. C. POLLNER, Cleveland, Ohio. 



WANTED. — Microscope, with one or two objectives, for good general 

 work, by any recognized standard maker. Must be cheap and in perfect 

 condition. Address, with full particulars, LIBRARIAN, STEEL WORKS 

 CLUB, Joliet, 111. 



