DECEMBER 17, 1903] 
NATURE 
163 
light is necessary for the synthesis of albuminoids in the 
higher green plants, and probably in all green plants, but 
that amides are produced in limited quantities in darkness 
and in parts of the plants which contain no chlorophyll. 
The lower plants devoid of chlorophyll can manufacture 
albuminoids in darkness, the necessary energy in this case 
being derived from the decomposition of organic compounds. 
The twenty-third volume of the Agricultural Journal of the 
Cape of Good Hope is now being published in monthly parts 
by the Department of Agriculture, Cape Town. Though 
not new, the Journal has recently altered and improved its 
form, and this sixpenny monthly may be commended to the 
notice of all who are interested in the agriculture of South 
Africa. 
in it, for by means of editorial notes, special articles, and 
correspondence the Journal gives a clear presentation of the 
condition of the various farming industries of Cape Colony. 
Diseases of live stock are very common in the colony, and 
young men preparing for life on a South African farm 
should endeavour lo gain some knowledge of veterinary 
hygiene before going abroad. ‘The Journal usually devotes 
one or two articles in each number to veterinary subjects 
and the ailments of stock bulk largely in the correspondence 
columns. <A correspondent from Aliwal North, writing in 
the October number, makes an observation which is in- 
teresting in view of the importance of ticks as carriers of 
disease germs. He reports that he had a flock of goats 
badly infected, but ‘‘ happened to drop’’ on a cure in the 
shape of wild garlic. He gave the affected animals a small 
quantity; the ticks were not killed, but they dropped off 
the goats, and no further loss was suffered. Next year, 
when the tick season came round, the goats escaped injury. 
Regulations for the purpose of preventing the import- 
ation of plant pests have been in force in Cape Colony for 
a number of years, but experience has shown greater caution 
to be necessary, and after January 1, 1904, new and 
stringent regulations will come into force. With the view 
of preventing inconvenience and loss to exporters, wide 
publication has been given to the altered regulations. The 
following points are of special interest to horticulturists :— 
(1) All plants or parts of plants not grown in South Africa 
must in future be sent to Cape Colony by sea. Imported 
plants must not be sent overland from other colonies. (2) 
Certain plants are absolutely prohibited, as, for example, 
stone-fruits from the U.S.A. and Canada, and peaches from 
any foreign country. (3) Permits are granted for the im- 
portation of small quantities of fruit trees from most 
countries, so that stocks of new varieties may be worked 
up in the colony. (4) Plants will be examined on landing 
by a competent officer, thus minimising the risk of import- 
ing pests. Trees and woody plants will be fumigated, the 
expense of fumigation being borne by the consignee. Any 
plants or parts of plants on which the examining officer 
finds a specially dangerous pest will be destroyed without 
delay. 
BUDDHISM.* 
THE appearance of the first number of a new quarterly 
magazine entitled Buddhism is an event of some 
significance, for it argues that the modern tendency of 
western inquiry into the ethics of this ancient eastern faith 
is sufficiently active to justify a commercial venture. 
The object of the review is stated to be, first, to set before 
the world the true principles of the Buddhist religion; 
secondly, to promote certain humanitarian activities en- 
joined by Buddhist precept; and, thirdly, to unite, ‘‘ as by 
a common bond of mutual interest and brotherhood, the 
many associations with Buddhist aims which now exist.’’ 
These objects are well sustained in the initial number of 
the review. It opens, most appropriately, with a poem by 
Sir Edwin Arnold, whose ‘‘ Light of Asia’’ has probably 
done more to popularise Buddhism in the west than any 
literary effort hitherto known. It continues with a series 
of essays by Buddhist writers, in which the doctrines of 
Buddhism are explained and advocated with much earnest- 
ness, and, on the whole, with an intelligent appreciation 
of the limitations of ordinary human understanding ; and it 
includes notes and references which sufficiently prove what 
1 Buddhism, an Illustrated Quarterly Review. (Printed and published for 
the International Buddhist Society by the Hantnawaddy Printing Works, 
Rangoon, Burma.) 
NO. 1781, VOL. 69] 
Prospective settlers would find many useful hints | 
an active agency in the practical world Buddhism is be- 
coming. Amongst the notes is an invitation to western 
students to join the great brotherhood of the Yellow Robe, 
with a very explicit statement of the conditions under which 
candidates will be accepted. ‘‘ Bhikkus of occidental 
nationalities ’’ are first invited, ‘‘ who in due time would 
be able to return to their own countries, there to spread the 
knowledge of Buddhism ’’—in short, missionaries. Amongst 
these Bhikkus there may be some who may be willing to 
take the Robe, but they are candidly warned that the con- 
ditions of life in the order are ‘‘ somewhat severe for 
occidentals.’’ 
All this is practical business, and it leaves an impression 
that the review fills a space in the ranks of modern Oriental 
literature which is distinctly open to enterprise. 
The article on the “‘ Faith of the Future,’’ coupled with 
that on ‘‘ Nibbana’’ (Nirvana), is a clear and intelligible 
exposition of the gospel of law and self-culture inculcated 
by Buddhism, and is, perhaps, a clearer analysis of the 
final conditions of nebulous existence which crowns and 
completes the strenuous life of the Buddhist than can be 
found in most theological treatises on the Christian’s here- 
after. Based on the unsafe assumption that the ‘‘ de- 
structive fire of science ’’ has annihilated revealed religion, 
it offers the alternative of the old world ethical system 
which is not founded on revelation at all—‘ the system of 
ontology founded on reason rather than belief ’’—which 
advocates the culture of the highest faculties of the mind; 
and teaches man that, avoiding all vain speculations about 
God and the soul, or his future self-conscious identity, he 
should concentrate his attention on existence as he finds it, 
and learn that all evil springs, not from the life without, 
but from the heart within, its cravings and its desires. 
““The attainment of true and lasting happiness is for him 
alone who from his own being shall eradicate the Cause of 
Sorrow, shall free his heart from all this grasping at straws 
in life’s fierce waters, and from all this thirst after its 
false salt waves. And the way in which this may be done 
- is Truth the Fourth,’’ &c. 
The writer of the essay would do well to avoid over- 
stating his case. It is not the fact that Buddhism has done 
more towards civilising the world than any other religion, 
nor can the proposition be unconditionally accepted that it 
has added more towards increasing the great sum of human 
happiness and peace than any other; for it is an indispu- 
table fact that in this imperfect world (so slowly developing 
towards more perfect ends through the agency, not of one, 
but of all reasonable religions) war has, after all, been the 
great civilising agent, the cleansing and purifying principle 
which has age after age reconstructed higher forms of 
civilised existence on the ashes of destroyed communities. 
And war is wholly and absolutely obnoxious to Buddhist 
principles. As for the peaceful and happy conditions of 
such nations of the world as still recognise the gentle rule 
of the Buddhist priest, we may still be open to serious 
doubt. The Burmese, truly, are a light-hearted race—but 
is this due to self-culture, or environment? In Ceylon, alas! 
virulent family dissensions ending in crime are (or were but 
a few years ago) peculiarly frequent. 
It is, however, impossible to do more than note the general 
character of the review. It is well written (there are two 
delightfully descriptive articles on ‘‘ The Woman of Burma ’”’ 
and the ‘‘ Shadow of the Shwe Dagon’”’), well printed, 
and well illustrated, and will do much to familiarise the 
European reader with the active principles of an eastern 
faith which is older than Christianity, and is professed 
by 500 millions of his human contemporaries. In the 
modern world of free thought and toleration such a 
magazine as this should be welcome, and it would not be 
surprising if it attained a wide circulation. 
TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN GERMANY. 
“THE excellence of the German system of higher scientific 
and technical education has been referred to in many 
articles which have already appeared in Nature, and the 
lavish endowment by the State in Germany of the institu- 
tions in which the education is given was dealt with in our 
issue for March 12 (vol. Ixvii. p. 433). We are glad to find 
that public attention is being again directed to the same sub- 
ject by the Times, and that an exhaustive comparison 
