910 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 782 



ers' Association is, therefore, unique and of 

 the highest economic importance. The United 

 States produces annually about $5,000,000,000 

 worth of animals and crops which may be 

 improved by careful breeding. A conservative 

 figure, based upon the experience of those who 

 have actually improved specific crops and 

 breeds, justifies an estimate of 10 per cent, 

 increase in this total by breeding alone. The 

 cost of this improvement need not be more 

 than 10 per cent, of the increase or one per 

 cent, of the whole. Thus, $500,000,000 annu- 

 ally may be added to the wealth of the nation 

 by breeding, representing a profit of $450,000,- 

 000. 



Under a wise system of patent laws, inven- 

 tion and manufacture have been stimulated 

 to produce and bring into wide use highly 

 efficient forms of machinery which have greatly 

 increased the efficiency of the agricultural 

 producer. Through the further impulse given 

 to better tillage and better farm management 

 by state boards of agriculture, state experi- 

 ment stations and the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture production has been 

 greatly increased. The possible increase in 

 the value of our plant and animal products 

 through breeding alone is nearly as great as 

 that now being realized through all these 

 agencies. It is this task to which the Amer- 

 ican Breeders' Association is directing its 

 efforts. 



This work must be done by and through the 

 practical animal and plant breeders with the 

 aid of the scientific investigators and in coop- 

 eration with public agencies. Results can not 

 be expected immediately, as much preliminary 

 work must be done and years of effort wiU be 

 required before permanent results can be ex- 

 pected in any line. Improved breeds and 

 varieties can not be protected by patents and 

 their further improvement thus stimulated and 

 the breeder assured rewards for his skill and 

 effort. In the nature of things improved 

 strains soon become common property. The 

 state and the national governments, therefore, 

 should and will aid in placing this work on a 

 substantial footing as soon as feasible plans 

 are formulated and given adequate support. 



The American Breeders' Association is at 

 present attacking the first two of the problems 

 before it, viz., the study of the little under- 

 stood laws of heredity in living things, and the 

 determination of such practical methods as 

 can be applied in the actual improvement of 

 plant and animal forms. This work is being 

 centered in committees of from three to seven 

 members, who are leaders along the lines for 

 which they are chosen. Such problems as the 

 business side of animal breeding, breeding 

 meat-producing animals, the business side of 

 plant breeding, breeding sugar crops, fiber 

 crops, forage crops, cereal crops; breeding 

 swine, breeding carriage horses, running 

 horses, trotting horses, draft horses; breeding 

 insects and bees, breeding fruits, breeding 

 ornamental plants; breeding for the dairy, 

 breeding general purpose- cattle ; the scientific 

 investigation of the theory of heredity are 

 taken up by the committees adapted to each 

 subject. These committees report to the asso- 

 ciation at its annual and other meetings on 

 the progress of their work and will make such 

 recommendations to the society as they find 

 wise and expedient. In this way the energies 

 of the association will be centered upon the 

 specific problems before it, while each com- 

 mittee has the resources of the entire mem- 

 bership to aid in its work. 



The American Breeders' Association built 

 up a membership of about one thousand, one 

 hundred of whom are life members. This 

 membership includes the foremost animal and 

 plant breeders and scientists of this continent 

 and many abroad. It has published five an- 

 nual reports, a neatly-bound 400-page volume, 

 containing the papers and addresses presented 

 ^t the annual meeting and the records of the 

 meeting. W. M. Hays, 



Secretary 



Washington, T). C. 



TBE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE 

 EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AT HOME 

 The Third International Congress will be 

 held under the patronage of the Belgian gov- 

 ernment, in connection with Universal Ex- 

 position at Brussels in August, 1910. 



