400 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1348 



of food to plants. Agronomists may be sure 

 that they have not yet found out every method 

 of increasing soil fertility by the use of ferti- 

 lizers. As the needs for food become more 

 pressing many additional discoveries will re- 

 sult from the researches of students of the 

 soil. 



Superior tillage methods, better rotations, 

 and many other improvements in soil manage- 

 ment may be expected to contribute to the 

 increasing of the yield of the present culti- 

 vated area. 



So much has been done during the last few 

 generations to improve crops that we should 

 hesitate before placing any limit on what may 

 be accomplished in this respect in the future. 

 The discovery of some of the fundamental 

 principles of heredity has made progress much 

 more rapid during the last few years than 

 previously when everything was done by the 

 hit-or-miss method. 



If no additional land could be added to the 

 cultivated area and if there were no way to 

 increase the fertility of the soil, considerable 

 relief in the food situation might in time be 

 expected to come from crop improvement 

 alone; but when this can be taken in con- 

 nection with the others, it becomes an espe- 

 cially valuable tool. For example, there are 

 almost unlimited possibilities in developing 

 crops suited to resisting drouth, soil alkali, or 

 other imfavorable conditions in which ordi- 

 nary crops can not thrive. But here too 

 there is a limit to possible improvements. 



From the foregoing, it is evident that the 

 agronomist will be able to render valuable 

 service in insuring an adequate food supply 

 for the increasing population of the world. 

 The question now arises as to what his duty is 

 in the matter. Should he sit idly by as a dis- 

 interested spectator and allow things to take 

 their natural course, or should he assume 

 initiative and take an active part in helping 

 to forestall trouble? Will he be one who will 

 give the ounce of prevention, or will he wait 

 till the pound of cure is required? Probably 

 both courses will be taken. 



He who is progressive, he who takes his 

 work seriously and is anxious to use his train- 



ing for the welfare of his fellows, will doubt- 

 less take the more positive attitude and de- 

 vote himself energetically to the solution of 

 the many problems that crowd upon him. 

 Only by profound research can these problems 

 be solved ; but he who devotes himself honestly 

 to seeking these solutions will find joy un- 

 speakable and will render a lasting service to 

 mankind. F. S. Haeeis 



Agkicultdeai Experiment Station, 

 Logan, Utah 



SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RE- 

 SEARCH IN FRANCE, ITALY, 

 BELGIUM AND JAPAN 



The British Committee of the Privy Coun- 

 cil for Industrial and Scientific Research in 

 their annual report, to Parliament give some 

 account of similar work in other countries. 

 In addition to the activities of the French De- 

 partment of Scientific, Industrial and Agri- 

 cultural Research and Inventions, attached to 

 the Ministry of Public Instruction, important 

 steps towards building a great optical indus- 

 try in France have been taken by the French 

 Ministry of Public Instruction and Commerce, 

 under whose auspices there has been created 

 in Paris an establishment known as L'Institut 

 d'Optique Theorique et Appliquee, with Gen- 

 eral Bourgeois as president. The institution 

 will include a school of advanced optics, a re- 

 search and testing laboratory, and a profes- 

 sional school. Measures have been taken to 

 secure a government subvention and an appeal 

 for funds has also been addressed to scientific 

 and industrial organizations. Progress has 

 also been made in engineering research in 

 France. The metallurgical and engineering 

 firms in Grenoble are showing a commendable 

 exhibition of independent initiative and, with- 

 out waiting for a more or less problematical 

 government grant, have collected funds to 

 found a mechanical and metallurgical labora- 

 tory. The laboratory itself is secured and 

 they have appointed a competent local man as 

 its head. There only remains the acquisition 

 of the needful machinery and equipment. This 

 is to be obtained partly by purchase and 

 partly by gifts. 



