132 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIV. No. 1389 



knowledge of, the enterprise. This fund of 

 information will give a basis for studying the 

 social effects upon the farm population itseK, 

 and of estimating the special value of a policy 

 of country planning in the development of 

 country life in America. 



The kinds of examples of country planning 

 which the division of Farm Life Studies is 

 particularly desirous of locating are as fol- 

 lows: Country parks (not State or Federal) 

 for country people, outside villages and cities; 

 public reserves in the country, that is, spots 

 of natural beauty or of historic interest re- 

 served for public use either through private 

 benefaction or by local government; "gate- 

 ways " to town or village from the farming 

 country — that is, improved fringes of towns 

 and villages, where highways lead from the 

 farms planned and maintained through pri- 

 vate or public means; colonization planning 

 by land companies, which provides beforehand 

 for better adjustments of rural community 

 life; special outdoor art features, such as may 

 be illustrated by certain farm athletic fields, 

 farm roadside tree plantings, country bulletin 

 boards, country cemeteries, community build- 

 ings, detachment of farm houses from farm 

 work by screening effects. 



The technical landscaping phases of country 

 planning are promoted by the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture. The technical side of country planning, 

 highly important indeed in its place, is not, 

 however, a subject of inquiry in the present 

 study. On the other hand, the human con- 

 ditions and motives which lead to outdoor art 

 improvements or which on the other hand, 

 prevent or retard such improvements among 

 American farm population groups, are the im- 

 mediate aim of the study. There are pre- 

 sumably inducements to a country art move- 

 ment not now generally recognized. There are 

 possibly social values in country art which 

 may become convincing to farmers when once 

 analyzed. The result will doubtless increase 

 the demand in farm communities for the out- 

 door art technician. 



It will help to forward this work if any one 

 conversant with the particulars of any out- 



standing instance of the foregoing phases of 

 outdoor country art, will send some account, 

 and photograph or other pictorial representa- 

 tion of the same, to the undersigned. 



C. J. Gilpin 

 TJ. S. Department of Agriculture 



QUOTATIONS 



CUSTOMS LEGISLATION IN ENGLAND 



So far as makers of scientific apparatus are 

 concerned, we believe they are not satisfied 

 with import duties, and want prohibition of 

 import for a time, with permits to import in 

 special cases. Many consumers have stated 

 their preference for a system of subsidies to 

 enable prices to be low enough to compete with 

 foreign goods. Such a scheme naturally of- 

 fers difficultes, and there would need to be 

 assurance that efforts at improvement are be- 

 ing made. There seems to be no reasonable 

 objection to the price being made as nearly as 

 possible equal to that of the foreign article, 

 so that the competition should become one of 

 quality. The bill, however, will probably be 

 passed, although it may still be possible to in- 

 sert provisions to enable free import to recog- 

 nized scientific institutions. Such permits 

 must be of a general character, not requiring 

 renewal, and not demanding the intervention 

 of the customs or other government depart- 

 ment. No special licenses for individual cases 

 would be satisfactory. 



How obstructive to scientific progress the 

 customs regulations may be is shown by letters 

 that have appeared in these columns. The 

 question of books is a very serious one. Inci- 

 dentally, reference may be made to the in- 

 creasing difficulty of publication of scientific 

 papers, which seems to be greater in England 

 than in other countries. But here again what 

 is wanted is a general fall in prices, and this 

 can be brought about only by a return to nor- 

 mal trade relations throughout the world. 



Much stress was laid by certain speakers in 

 the House of Commons on the necessity of our 

 industries as a national insurance in case of 

 future war. The only remark that need be 

 made in this place is that the most important 

 matter is to keep abreast of scientific work in 

 other countries. Restriction of research is 



