Apeil 30, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



687 



ciety of America alone represents all the the American Association. So far as the 



most important botanical interests of the mere machinery of the meetings is con- 



eountry is a matter for congratulation. eerned, there is an obvious saving of time 



Under the present system of joint meet- and energy; but from the standpoint of 



ings, or, as stated in the most recent official scientific results, nothing can be gained for 



announcement, ' ' under the scheme of affili- the simple reason that the majority of mem- 



ation" now in force, the following relations ^ers of the Physical Society are also mem- 



exist between the American Association and ^3^^ ^^ ^he American Association, Section 



the Society of Naturalists, together with the g_ ^^^^ ^1^.^ ^^ ^^^j^^,^ ^^^^ ^^^ p^ 



various specialists societies. Placing the a ■ j. u i, • 1 ^- -j.! -^ u^ 



■, ^^ .■,■,-, -, • , ,, J, Society would be simply meeting with itself 



latter m parallel columns with the former, , ., . ,, , . „ ^. ^ ', 



.^ .„ , ^ , X n . j_ L while preserving the pleasing fiction that 



it will be seen at a glance to what an extent . ,. .,, , , , 



,, --IT.- « 1 J n- , it was meeting with some other body. 



there is duplication 01 work and a conflict '' 



of interests between the purely popular ^ur analysis of the relations of the socie- 



side and the purely scientific side. ^'^^ ^^°^^ ^'^^^ ^^^^^ is not only an evident 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SOCIETY OF NATUBAUSTS 



A — ^Mathematics and Astronomy American Mathematical Society. 



B — Physics American Physical Society. 



( American Society of Biological Chemists. 



C— Chemistry | American Chemical Society. 



D — Mechanical Science and Engineering. 



C Geological Society of America. 



°^ ° " ^ I Association of American Geographers. 



Association of American Anatomists. 

 American Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists. 



^^ I American Society of Zoologists. 



Entomological Society of America. 

 Botanical Society of America. 



" ' Society of American Bacteriologists. 



The American Psychological Association. 



Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology. 



H — ^Anthropology and Psychology -,, . ,,, , -lo-i 



'^ =•' J 5,j 1 American Anthropological Society. 



American Folk-Lore Society. 



I — Social and Economic Science. 



K — ^Physiology and Experimental Medicine 



L — Education. 



Physiological Society. 



American Philosophical Association. 



The large number of specialists' societies 

 here represented makes it clear that their 

 separation from corresponding sections of 

 the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science must be based upon the 

 impossibility of properly conducting their 

 work in such sections. 



It is difficult to conceive Avhat good pur- 

 pose is served by announcing, let us say, 

 that the American Physical Society will 

 meet jointly with Section B (Physics) of 



and unnecessary duplication, but that the 

 work of one body interferes with that of 

 the other; members often know not what 

 meeting to attend; important papers are 

 missed through unexpected changes of pro- 

 gram and the impossibility of being in two 

 places at once; confusion reigns supreme. 

 It is clear that some radical and general 

 readjustment of these relations is impera- 

 tively demanded in behalf of the general 

 public Avhose interests are at stake, and for 



