584 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLV. No. 1171 



transformed into algebraic equations ad-, 

 mitting of easy solution of r, p, its velocity 

 and acceleration. This equation has been 

 found to be of the seventh degree or of the 

 eighth if the always existing root f equal 

 zero be included. My equation for three 

 bodies, that is, for the solution of orbits of 

 disturbed bodies, is of the twenty-eighth 

 degree and admits at most of three solu- 

 tions, the examination of which makes it 

 possible to decide whether a body is a 

 satellite, planet, or comet, in cases where 

 the physical appearance of the object does 

 not settle this question in advance. 



In spite of the extensive investigations 

 that have been made on the orbit problem 

 there is room for much improvement both 

 in theory and in practise, improvement 

 which can not fail to come through proper 

 cooperation of astronomers and mathe- 

 maticians. A. 0. Leuschnek 



University of California 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



THIRD INTERSTATE CEREAL CONFERENCE 



An executive cominittee, representing the 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture and state ex- 

 periment stations, has called a third interstate 

 cereal conference to be held at Kansas City, 

 Coates Hotel, June 12-14. This conference, 

 which has the approval of the Secretary of 

 Agriculture and the directors of the state sta- 

 tions, is for the purpose of discussing ques- 

 tions involved in and work essential to accom- 

 plish the enlargement of cereal production and 

 the economic utilization of cereals during the 

 existing war emergency. In addition to the 

 representatives of the institutions mentioned, 

 the flour mills, grain inspection departments, 

 grain dealers and manufacturers of cereal 

 foods and corn products of the grain states are 

 invited to send delegates. Some of the subjects 

 to be discussed are: 

 Agricultural War Measures in Kansas. 

 "Waste in Cereal Production on the Farm. 

 The Importance of Good Seed. 

 The Proportion of Plour and By-products in Mill- 



ing. 



The Preparation of Land for Wheat. 



The Use of Barley as a Food. 



Corn as a War Crop. 



Treatment of Seed Grain for the Prevention of 

 Smuts. 



Analysis of the World's Wheat Supply. 



The Importance of Grain Sorghums. 



Federal Standards for the Grading of Wheat. 



Weed Seeds in Eelation to Grain Grading. 



The Importance of Testing Spring Wheat for Ger- 

 mination. 



The Next Step in Improvement in Wheat Crop- 

 ping. 



The Work of Committee on Seed Stocks, U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture. 



The delegates to the conference are invited 

 to ilanhattan, Kansas, on June 15, to inspect 

 the cereal field work of the Kansas Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station. 



Charles E. Chambliss, 



Secretary 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. 



THE SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS 



The Society of Industrial Engineers, a 

 national organization, the membership of 

 which is to comprise men and women who are 

 industrial engineers, professional technical 

 engineers, accountants, managing executives 

 of commercial and industrial activity, writers, 

 educators and students, was planned in 

 Chicago on May 26. The Society will be 

 permanently organized in Washington, on 

 June 15, on which date the directors have been 

 called to meet. 



Charles Buxton Going, for twenty years 

 editor of the Engineering Magazine, New 

 York, was chosen provisional President and 

 pro tern chairman of the board of directors 

 which was chosen at the session. This board, 

 comprising 15 prominent men from various 

 sections of the United States, the majority of 

 whom have accepted, includes : 



Charles Buxton Going, ISTew York; C. E. 

 Knoeppel, industrial engineer and organiza- 

 tion counsel, 'Sew York; Frank B. Gilbreth, 

 industrial engineer. Providence, E. I.; E. C. 

 Shaw, vice-president The B. F. Goodrich Co., 

 Akron, Ohio; Harrington Emerson, industrial 

 engineer, ISTew York; Charles Piez, president 



