422 The Botanical Gazette. [December, 
EDITORIAL. 
Those who are engaged in investigation cannot but regret the in- 
creasing tendency to the establishment by educational institutions of 
independent publications which are to contain the results of investiga- 
tions conducted at the institution or by members of its staff. It is 
getting to be the fashion now for all the larger colleges and universi- 
ties to undertake the issue of either occasional “bulletins,” or “con- 
tributions,” or “studies.” The agricultural experiment stations have 
the issue of at least four bulletins in the course of the year forced upon 
them by an absurd law; but these newer publications are not stimu- 
lated by any thing except the desire of the institution to advertise it- 
self. Assoon asa college comes to have graduate students, and a 
faculty with the leisure and ability for original work, it feels that it must 
follow the example of other colleges, in order to let it be known that 
such work is in progress. There is no plea whatever that there is any 
necessity for the establishment of such publications except self-ag- 
grandizement. It is not that worthy papers could not otherwise see 
the light; it is not that the regular journals and transactions of learned 
societies are unable or unwilling to care for the flood of manuscripts 
which might otherwise be poured upon them. Not that; it is solici- 
tude on the part of the University of B lest the University 
of A should become greater in reputation, or should attract 
more students. ' 
o one who is looking up the literature of any particular subject 
this multiplicity of irregular journals and bulletins and contributions 
and proceedings is simply maddening. In Germany this evil has be- 
come so great that almost every department of learning is compelled 
to have its Jahresbericht and Centralblatt, which have not only at- 
tempted to compass German but also all literature in their special 
fields. But the task is becoming herculean, and sooner or later 
subdivision either of territory or topic must be made. We are coming 
to a time, and that rapidly, when such indexes to American literature 
will be indispensable. Every new and especially every occasional pub- 
lication adds to the difficulty of collecting or keeping informed of 
botanical literature. It was therefore with especial pleasure that we 
welcomed the beginnings of such indexing in the publications of the 
botanical division and the division of vegetable pathology at Wash- 
ington 
on. ; 
The objection to the multiplication of publications is the stronger 
when it is seen that the benefit of advertising can be secured without : 
the evil complained of. The plan long pursued by Drs. Gray and 
Watson of the Harvard Botanic Garden, and adopted by the Crypto” 
