388 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, No. 1424 



ment should be regarded not so mucli iu terms 

 of practice as in relation to the speeiiie phys- 

 iological processes to be affected. Much work 

 must be done before specific measures to in- 

 fluence these different processes in the desired 

 direction are found. Many practices that have 

 not proved generally efficacious in the past may 

 be shown to have great value for specific con- 

 ditions. Pomologists must think in terms of 

 limiting factors, and not merely in terms of the 

 soil elements that may limit plant gi'owth but 

 also in terms of the physiological processes 

 that may be limiting fruit production. For all 

 this work, an accurate knowledge of the chemi- 

 cal changes associated with different physiolo- 

 gical processes is of the utmost value because 

 a thorough understanding of the conditions de- 

 sired may suggest means for their accomplish- 

 ment. 



Henry D. Hooker, Jr. 

 University of Missouri, 

 Columbia, ilo. 



A SUGGESTION AS TO METHOD OF 



PUBLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC 



PAPERS 



The processes of scientific publication are 

 admittedly in an unhealthy state. Various in- 

 fluences contribute to the acuteness of this 

 condition, but it is likely that a time of stress 

 has merely emphasized weaknesses inherent in 

 the ordinary procedure for printing scientific 

 papers. The "jammed" plight of the periodi- 

 cals is slowing the vital current of new results. 

 It becomes desirable to consider alternative 

 methods of jarinting, perhaps better adapted 

 to the present character of our needs. In this 

 country and aljroad several suggestions have 

 already been offered; the most drastic of these 

 has urged the publication of abstracts onl}-, 

 jcompleted manuscripts to be deposited for 

 reference in some central place — a scheme hav- 

 ing so many unfavorable features as to merit 

 little serious attention; it is not merely results 

 we wish, but also some at least of the steps 

 in their derivation. 



I have in mind more especially the field of 

 zoology. To-day this subject is specifically 

 served by a fine group of journals, and by an 



"advance" bibliographic service of filing cards 

 bearing author-abstracts. This system of pub- 

 lication is maintained through the cooperation 

 of the Wistar Institute. These journals were 

 founded some years ago, and each was de- 

 signed to cover a particular group of zoologi- 

 cal interests. They do not now correspond, in 

 titles or in any individuality of contents, to 

 major aspects of zoological de-velopment. 

 Their fields of service overlap, sometimes to 

 an embarrassing degree. 



Investigators acquire separata of papers of 

 particular concern to them. There is thus 

 brought about a quite unnecessary duplication 

 in the distribution of published work, and a 

 proportionate waste of paper. Subscriptions 

 for support of the journals are drawn from 

 membership dues of the Zoological and Ana- 

 tomical societies. Jlembers therefore receive 

 most or all of the journals, in this way accu- 

 mulating a mass of unused, largely unusable, 

 material; while still necessarily relying upon 

 the convenient "reprint" for actual reference 

 and use. 



I believe that these difficulties may be 0I3- 

 viated, and the course of publication simplified 

 and expedited. With the hope of attracting 

 discussion of this matter, I outline here a plan 

 regarded as practicable and to the point. The 

 foimdation of new journals has little to recom- 

 mend it; these are likely soon to suffer the 

 fate of the older ones. Save in some special 

 fields, the journal method of publication has 

 Ijeeome measui-ably antiquated. 



The journals should be abolished. They do 

 not represent rational subdivisions of zoologi- 

 cal activity. There is no real reason why pa- 

 pers accepted for publication should be 

 grouped to make up a "number." It is cer- 

 tainly more desiralale that a paper be printed 

 when it is ready for printing. If issued and 

 originally distributed as a "separate," unneces- 

 sary duplication of distribution can readily be 

 avoided. This jDlan requires some central 

 agency, such as we now have, for handling the 

 mechanical details of publication. Serial 

 numbers could be assigned to papers as issued. 

 An entire series might then be bound by li- 

 Ijraries, though the more sensible way would 



