September 4, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



305' 



for 1908. The committee has considered lOY 

 applications for assistance from this research 

 fund. Some of these, it is mentioned, do not 

 comply with the conditions laid down by the 

 founder. Prince Eoland Bonaparte, and others 

 are for work entirely outside the field of the 

 Academy of Sciences. The committee ex- 

 cludes also demands for assistance in re- 

 searches in medicine, surgery and general 

 biology, since the funds of the Caisse des 

 Becherches scientifiques are exclusively re- 

 served for biological studies. Ten grants 

 are recommended as follows: (1) 2,000 francs 

 to L. Blaringhem for a continuation of his 

 important studies on the variation of species 

 and the experimental methods for the creation 

 of new species of plants; (2) 2,000 francs to 

 Dr. Billard to enable him to pursue his 

 studies on the hydroids; (3) 2,000 francs to 

 Dr. Estanave to furnish him with a means of 

 continuing his researches on direct vision pro- 

 jection in relief, with special reference to 

 radiography; (4) 2,500 francs to MM. Fabry 

 and Buisson for a continuation of their work 

 on the establishment of a system of standard 

 wave-lengths. The grant is to be applied to 

 the purchase of a plane grating, a metal con- 

 cave mirror of large diameter, and two plane 

 mirrors required for a study of the differences 

 between the lines of the solar spectrum and 

 those of the electric are; (5) 5,000 francs to 

 M. Gonnessiat for the purchase of astrono- 

 mical intruments for the observatory of 

 Algiers; (6) 2,000 francs to Dr. Loisel for the 

 continuation of his actinometric observations 

 at the Observatory of Juvisy ; (7) 2,000 francs 

 to M. Dongier for the establishment of ap- 

 paratus for the simultaneous study of the rain- 

 fall and atmospheric potential; (8) 2,500 

 francs to M. Perot for the spectroscopic study 

 of the light from the sun by interferential 

 methods; (9) 2,000 francs to M. Matignon for 

 the determination of specific heats at high 

 temperatures; (10) 3,000 francs to P. Colin 

 for the publication of a map of South 

 Imerina. These recommendations were 

 adopted by the academy. 



A COMMISSION, appointed by the crown to 

 investigate the condition of Ireland's forests 



and to suggest measures for bettering it, has- 

 just made public its report. The commissiont 

 became convinced that there was imperative- 

 need for afforestation on a large scale, that 

 the time had come when the " let alone " doc- 

 trine applied to the woods could no longer be 

 endured. The commission outlines and' 

 vigorously urges the adoption of a large 

 scheme for the state to plant about 700,000 

 acres with forest trees. This, with the 300,- 

 000 acres of existing forest, would give Ire- 

 land 1,000,000 acres of forest land, an area; 

 which the commission considers essential for- 

 the agricultural and industrial requirements- 

 of the country. About 20,000 acres of this 

 would be purchased by the state in mountain- 

 ous and rough regions and managed as state 

 forest, while 500,000 acres, chiefly in small' 

 blocks, would be planted by the state, but 

 managed by private owners or by county- 

 councils. The facts that under the Land' 

 Purchase Acts much woodland formerly held' 

 in large blocks is being sold in small parcels 

 and lumbered, and that there is now oppor- 

 tunity for the government to acquire woods 

 and land suitable for forests, make it specially- 

 urgent for the state to take immediate action. 

 To show that such a scheme of land acquisi- 

 tion and planting is not impracticable, the- 

 Commission cites the case of Denmark, an- 

 agricultural country half the size of Ireland, 

 which, since 1881, has increased her forests 

 by 175,000 acres. Another ease is that of 

 little Belgium, which, in spite of her dense 

 agricultural and industrial population and 

 already large forests, has added 70,000 acres 

 to her forests in the last twenty-five years. 

 Though Ireland is particularly suited in soil 

 and climate for the growth of forests, and 

 some of her area is much better adapted for- 

 forests than agricultural crops, yet only 306,- 

 000 acres, or one and one half per cent, of her- 

 total area is forested. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS 

 An anonymous gift of $100,000 has been 

 made to the Vienna Academy of Sciences for 

 the establishment of a " Radium Institute " 

 in connection with the new physical labora- 

 tories of the TJniversity of Vienna. 



