OO 
common. knowledge. 
DECEMBER 7, 1916] 
that some new kind of implement altogether is 
needed in order to get the best out of this engine. 
Experiments are sadly needed on this problem. 
None of the agricultural experiment stations -are 
taking the matter up at present because of the cost 
and other difficulties, but it needs to be done. 
None of these difficulties are insuperable; the 
various research institutions which now exist in 
this country can attack the technical problems with 
considerable hope of success. The economic pro- 
blems, however, require different treatment ; above 
all they require to be approached from the point of 
view of the business man rather than from that of 
the party politician. 
The first thing needed is to decide the import- 
_ ance of home-grown food: whether it is vitally 
important to the community or simply highly desir- 
able. If it is only desirable, things can be left 
as they are, because agencies are already at work 
that will take the farmer so far as he feels dis- 
posed to go with present high costs of produc- 
tion and the risk of a slump in prices in 1917. 
If, on the other hand, a large supply of home- 
grown food is vitally important, then our present 
methods must be modified so as to aim at maxi- 
mum-crop production regardless of possible low 
prices in 1917. At present the farmer is invited 
to bear the whole of this risk, and with the best 
will in the world many feel that he cannot do 
so; it is lack not of patriotism, but of capital 
that bars the way. The remedy might, and pos- 
sibly would, involve making agriculture a con- 
trolled industry, but, at any rate, it would enable 
big unified schemes of crop production to be put 
into operation. E. J. Russet. 
THE JEWELRY TRADE IN WAR-TIME. 
oh jewelry trade is very largely one of luxury, 
and consequently serves as an extremely 
sensitive indicator of the kind of weather the 
barque of State has encountered. In the bright 
days of prosperity people are apt to buy jewels: 
in the dark days of adversity they are no less apt 
to sell or pawn them. It is not surprising that at 
the outbreak of war even the most optimistic of 
jewellers were filled with the gloomiest foreboding's 
as to the fate the future held in store for their 
business unless hostilities. were soon brought to a 
satisfactory close. The war has, however, lasted 
far longer than was anticipated at the beginning by 
all save a’ few with exceptional depth of know- 
ledge, and it is possible now to ascertain how far 
those forebodingss were fulfilled. 
The question, “ What is the state of the jewelry 
trade in days of war?” may, as regards the 
United States and, to some extent, Great Britain, 
be answered from the report on the ‘“ Production 
of Precious Stones for the year 1915,” which, as 
in former years, has been contributed to Mineral 
~ Industry} by the well-known gem-expert, Dr. G. F. 
The answer agrees with what is within 
The exceptional prosperity 
which the war has brought to areas engaged in 
1 Vol. xxiv., pp. 591-613, 1916. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Com- 
pany, Inc. ; London: Hill Publishing Co., Ltd.) 
NO. 2458, VOL. 98] 
Kunz. 
NATURE 
271 
| the manufacture of munitions is reflected in the 
trade in precious stones done there. Thus, we 
read that in May, 1916—Dr. Kunz does not 
adhere rigidly to the year with which he is sup- 
posed to deal—upwards of five million dollars’ 
worth of precious stones were imported into the 
United States—nearly three times the amount in 
the corresponding month of the previous year; in 
fact, all records were broken, even for the 
“boom” period of 1906. 
Again, as regards our own country, it is 
stated :— 
It is worth noting as one of the curious effects of the 
war in London trade that the present demand for cheap 
diamond rings, such as are sold by East End jewellers, 
is phenomenally large. This is due to the exception- 
ally high wages earned by many British workers in 
the special industries, and also to their inclination 
toward free spending of their money. On the other 
hand, the demand for the larger diamonds has fallen 
off in England, since the wealthy classes have suffered 
a very considerable decline of income, due to industrial 
derangement and, above all, to heavy taxation. In 
Birmingham also the trade in low-priced diamond 
rings is exceedingly brisk. 
Whether the picture thus outlined is strictly 
true for Great Britain as a whole we question. 
We believe that there is a great shortage of labour, 
not only owing to the requirements of the Army, 
but because so many of the skilled workers have 
been drafted into factories, their training having 
been found to fit them for many of the delicate 
operations in the manufacture of munitions. 
Nevertheless, the jewellers will perhaps go so far 
as to admit that things are very much better at 
this stage of the war than might have been 
anticipated beforehand. 
Since diamonds are of such great importance 
for working the hard steels largely used in muni- 
tions, stringent precautions are taken by Great 
Britain to prevent stones, either cut or rough, 
from falling into hostile hands. Dr. Kunz prints 
the guarantees, to the effect that the diamonds will 
not be exported, directly or indirectly, to any 
country at war with Great Britain, which before 
the release of the package in question have to be 
signed before the British Consul-General by 
importers into the United States, 
The report consists of two parts, each of about 
the same length, the first dealing with general 
points, and the second with particular species of 
precious stones. We notice in the former many 
interesting or curious points in addition to those 
already referred to. Thus, we are told that before 
the war much attention was being given in Paris, 
Vienna, and Berlin to colour-harmony in the wear- 
ing of jewels; apparently not in London—are we 
therefore to infer that a lower degree of taste 
prevails there? The lozenge-shape of cutting so 
popular for emeralds has been applied to diamonds 
with good results. The famous gem-district at 
Pala, San Diego County, California, has yielded 
magnificent crystals of rubellite weighing as much 
as.2 to 4 lb. each. Dr. Kunz boasts that the 
United States to-day possesses greater collections 
‘of precious stones than any other nation, and 
