June 29, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



653 



lars is known to be caused every year in 

 this country by imported plant and tree 

 pests. "Whose concern should it be to take 

 every possible measure to learn the nature 

 of the pine-tree blister rust which threatens 

 property of New York City to the extent of 

 several millions of dollars ? Would it not be 

 a perfectly reasonable business proposition 

 to expend annually 10 per cent, of the 

 value of the trees on the Ashokan water- 

 shed in order to ascertain effective means 

 for the control or eradication of a tree dis- 

 ease which may necessitate a replanting of 

 the entire area? 



Several million dollars worth of potatoes 

 are consumed in greater New York every 

 year; who should be more interested than 

 the residents of this city in supporting bo- 

 tanical research that has for its object the 

 eradication of potato diseases in Maine, 

 whence a large percentage of our supply is 

 derived 1 



By the scientifie and educational oppor- 

 tunities which it can afford our citizens, by 

 diffusing in this community, and from this 

 community as a center, a knowledge and 

 love of plants, by botanical investigations 

 in the realms of pure and applied science, 

 the Brooklyn Botanic Garden can yearly 

 render to the city of New York a service 

 whose value will be far in excess of any 

 sum of money that will ever be necessary 

 for its annual maintenance. 



At the opening of the Pasteur Institute, 

 in Paris, in 1888, the founder of the science 

 of bacteriology, near the close of his ad- 

 dress, spoke as follows, smarting as he al- 

 ways did, at the memory of the events of 

 the Franco-Prussian war: 



If science has no country, the scientist should 

 have one, and ascribe to it the influence which his 

 works may have in this world. If I might be al- 

 lowed, Mr. President, to conclude by a philosoph- 

 ical remark inspired by your presence in this Home 

 of Work, I should say that two contrary laws seem 

 to be wrestling with each other nowadays; the one 

 a law of blood and of death, ever imagining new 



means of destruction, and forcing nations to be 

 constantly ready for the battlefield — the other, a 

 law of peace, work and health, ever evolving new 

 means of delivering man from the scourges which 

 beset him. 



These words seem written for the pres- 

 ent occasion. Almost the entire civilized 

 world is at war, but the ultimate triumph 

 of freedom over tyranny, of civilization 

 over vandalism, of right over wrong, may 

 now be confidently predicted; peace, let us 

 hope, is not far distant. In the realm of 

 the intellect there is perpetual conflict of 

 light over darkness, right over wrong, 

 knowledge over ignorance and superstition. 

 But the strongholds of ignorance and 

 superstition, while perpetually yielding 

 are eternally holding out. We shall never 

 know it all, there will forever be ample op- 

 portunity for and need of scientific re- 

 search — of the advancement and diffusion 

 of knowledge. This is man 's largest oppor- 

 tunity, the ultimate source of his greatest 

 happiness. C. Stuart Gagee 



Brooklyn Botanic Garden 



THE SCIENTIFIC WORK OF THE 

 BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



After most careful consideration of its re- 

 sponsibilities in the present national exigency, 

 the Bureau of Fisheries has determined upon 

 the following principles and plans for its im- 

 mediate guidance: 



1. The service of science to fishery work is 

 of such great possible significance that it 

 would be a serious error to abandon the pursuit 

 of proper scientific investigations. 



2. The exigency of the national food situa- 

 tion is such that every practicable and proper 

 effort should be made to bring about a greater 

 production of fish and a better utilization of 

 the available supply. 



3. The conflict between the two principles 

 just mentioned is more apparent than real, as 

 may appear from the following statement of 

 the bureau's plan. 



4. The bureau will not interrupt important 

 investigations which have been pursued for 



