PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 89 



with laboratories, instruments and material, and that the me- 

 moirs which it has issued would never, as a rule, have been ac- 

 cepted by private publishers. 



I do not wish to underrate the efficiency of American men of 

 science, nor the enthusiasm with which many public men and cap- 

 italists have promoted our scientific institutions. Our countrymen 

 have had wonderful successes in many directions. They have 

 borne their share in the battle of science against the unknown. 

 They have had abundant recognition from their fellow-workers 

 in the Old World. They have met perhaps a more intelligent 

 appreciation abroad than at home. It is the absence of home ap- 

 preciation that causes us very much foreboding for the future. 



In Boston or Cambridge, in New York, Philadelphia, Bal- 

 timore, Washington, Chicago, or San Francisco, and in most of 

 the college towns, a man interested in science may find others 

 ready to talk over with him a new scientific book, or a discovery 

 which has excited his interest. Elsewhere, the chances are, he 

 will have to keep his thoughts to himself. One may quickly re- 

 cite the names of the towns and cities in which may be found ten 

 or more people whose knowledge of any science is aught than 

 vague and rudimentary. Let me illustrate my idea by supposing 

 that every inhabitant of the United States, over fifteen years of 

 age, should be required to mention ten living men eminent in sci- 

 entific work, would one out of a hundred be able to respond? 

 Does any one suppose that there are three or four hundred thou- 

 sand people enlightened to this degree ? 



Let us look at some statistics, or, rather, some facts, which 

 it is convenient to arrange in statistical form. The total number 

 of white inhabitants of the United States in 1880 was about forty- 

 two millions. The total number of naturalists, as shown in the 

 Naturalist's Directory for 1886, was a little over 4,600. This 

 list includes not only the investigators, who probably do not ex- 

 ceed five hundred in number, and the advanced teachers, who 



