466 
NATURE} 
[Marcu 14, 1907 
In the House of Commons on March 7 the President of 
the Board of Agriculture was asked whether, in view of 
the loss now sustained by fruit growers, it is the intention 
of the Government at an early date to propose legislation 
which will enable insect and other pests which infect fruit 
to be dealt with effectually; and, if it is intended to pro- 
pose legislation, whether the Government will use every 
endeavour to bring it into force by May, in view of the 
fact that the disease will, during that month, begin to 
spread from the affected gooseberry plantations. In reply 
to the question, it was stated that the President of the 
Board of Agriculture hopes very shortly to be in a position 
to introduce legislation to confer on the Board and on 
local authorities further powers to deal with insect and 
other destructive pests. 
AMONG the lecture arrangements at the Royal Institution 
after Easter we notice the following :—Prof. G. H. Bryan, 
two lectures on wings and aéroplanes; Prof. W. Stirling, 
three lectures on stimulation, luminous and _ chemical ; 
Prof. G. H. F. Nuttall, two lectures on malaria, sleeping 
sickness, tick fever, and allied diseases; Prof. H. A. Miers, 
two lectures on the birth and affinities of crystals; Mr. 
H. F. Newall, two lectures on spectroscopic phenomena 
in stars, (1) chemistry, (2) motion; Sir James Dewar, 
three lectures on chemical progress—work of Mendeléeff 
and Moissan; Prof. S. P. Thompson, three lectures on 
studies in magnetism (the Tyndall lectures); Prof. W. C. 
McIntosh, two lectures on scientific work in the sea 
fisheries; and Sir Wm. H. White, two lectures on the 
contest between guns and armour. The Friday evening 
meetings will be resumed on April 12, when a discourse 
will be given by Prof. A. H. Church on conservation of 
historic buildings and frescoes; succeeding discourses will 
probably be given by Prof. C. S. Sherrington, Sir James 
Crichton-Browne, Prof. G. Chrystal, Prof. J. A. Fleming, 
Mr. A. H. Savage Landor, Sir James and 
others. 
Dewar, 
A Reuter telegram from Rome on March 4, published 
in the Times, supplies information as to the programme 
of the Italian Government in the matter of the excava- 
tions at Herculaneum and other archeological schemes in 
Italy. It has been decided that the work shall be under- 
taken by the Italian Government, and the archaeologists 
in charge of the Herculaneum excavations will probably 
be Profs. Dall’Osso and Pellegrini, of the University of 
Naples; Prof. Gabrici, of the Naples Museum; and Profs. 
Savignoni and Mariani. The Minister of Instruction, 
Prof. Rava, is making antiquities his special care, and has 
obtained the funds necessary to carry out an extensive 
programme. The yearly sum to be expended for antiqui- 
ties and fine arts has been raised to nearly a quarter of 
a million pounds, and the appropriation for excavations 
has been doubled. The Minister has ordered the beginning 
on a large scale within a year of excavations at Ostia, 
the port of ancient Rome; excavations at Pastum to find 
the remains of the great edifices of which Greek and 
Roman historians have spoken; he has obtained permission 
to expropriate all the houses surrounding the baths of 
Diocletian, and is spending 20,0001. to free those grand 
remains; and, finally, he has obtained 240,000l. for the 
construction of the proposed archaeological promenade, 
which is to be finished within three years. It will start 
from the Roman Forum, and will pass by the Colosseum, 
going so far as the Baths of Caracalla on one side and the 
Baths of Titus and Trajan on the other. 
Sir W. H. Perkin, F.R.S., presided at the annual 
dinner of the Society of Dyers and Colourists on March 8. 
NO. 1950, VOL. 75] 
Prof. Meldola, F.R.S., proposed the toast of ‘! The 
Society,’’ and said the dinner was fittingly held on the 
tooth anniversary of the introduction of coal gas as an 
illuminant in the streets of London. The society was, 
therefore, doubly pleased to welcome as its president the 
founder of the coal-tar colour industry. The introduction 
of the scientific spirit into this industry is largely due to 
the work of Sir W. Perkin. The society is doing a 
great work in the particular industry represented by it, 
especially in bringing together representatives of the indus- 
try and of science bearing upon the industry. Good work 
which the society is developing is, said Prof. Meldola, the 
system of giving prizes for the solution of technical 
problems. It is a departure which can only be commended, 
and it is to be hoped it will be imitated by many other 
technical societies. The president, in reply, referred to the 
great advances made in other countries in the coal-tar 
industry during recent years, and urged manufacturers in 
this country, in order to maintain their supremacy in this 
industry, to employ in their works the services of the 
best scientific men. Sir W. Perkin declared that the time 
for energetic research is while business is prosperous. If 
that is done there is very little probability of decline. In 
commemoration of the connection of Sir W. Perkin with 
the society, the council has decided to found a Perkin 
medal, which will be conferred for inventions of striking 
scientific and industrial merit connected with the tinctorial 
industry. 
Tue Commercial Motor Vehicle and Motor Boat Ex- 
hibition, which was opened week at Olympia by 
the Lord Mayor, is likely to prove a great success, as 
every kind of commercial interest is well catered for. The 
exhibits shown include various new forms of motor buses, 
lorries, chars-A-bancs, a motor police ambulance for London, 
numerous forms of trade vans, and a motor horse-box. 
Not the least interesting of the exhibits from an Imperial 
van which is shortly to tour 
the country showing Canadian products. Tyres of all 
descriptions, and non-slip bands and devices occupy the 
gallery, and new oils for motor lubrication are 
also much in evidence. Some well-finished motor boats 
are shown, the largest being a launch about 4o feet in 
length, made and fitted for the use of the Plymouth Port 
medical officer. A notable feature in this section is the 
increase in the number of boats which are propelled with- 
out the use of petrol, the paraffin engine being largely 
thus obliterating one of the greatest 
objections to the motor boat, i.e. the danger of the petrol 
exploding. The boats are in some cases fitted with a 
seat for the driver similar to that in a car, and are pro- 
vided with a brake. From a business point of view the 
exhibition should prove of great value, and is also of 
great interest as showing the progress made recently in 
heavy motor traction. 
last 
point of view is the motor 
various 
installed instead, 
A MEETING was held on March 7 to aid the work of the 
National League for Physical Education and Improvement 
at Londonderry House. The aims of the league are to 
stimulate public interest in the physical improvement of 
the people, to coordinate and extend the work of existing 
agencies, to make known the legal powers already 
possessed by public authorities, and to promote fresh legis- 
lation where necessary. Lord Londonderry presided, and 
in his opening remarks said there are few persons who are 
studying the condition of the people of this country who 
do not recognise the importance of hygiene and physical 
education. In dealing with the question of the teaching 
of hygiehe in the schools, he said that medical inspection 
