334 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XII. No. 296. 



The programs of our meetings always 

 announce some papers which have a scien- 

 tific bearing on agriculture, forestry or some 

 kindred line of business. As our members 

 are specialists, it is fitting that we have 

 each year a number of addresses of a gen- 

 eral nature, such as summaries of prog- 

 ress, methods of experimenting, methods of 

 teaching certain subjects, short syllabi of 

 courses of study, and new points of general 

 interest. These will be understood and 

 will interest all, and will be likely to pro- 

 voke a general discussion by the members. 



The work of this Society during the past 

 twenty years has apparently had a marked 

 influence on the selection of subjects for 

 discussion in some of the societies of this 

 country. As an instance of the practical 

 tendency of these subjects, if I may so ex- 

 press it, I cite you the admirable address of 

 Vice-President Gage a year ago before Sec- 

 tion F, of the A. A. A. S. at the Columbus 

 meeting on ' The Importance and Promise 

 in the Study of Domestic Animals.' Here 

 are two sentences: "It is most earnestly be- 

 lieved, however, that in the whole range of 

 zoology, no forms offer a greater reward for 

 the study of the problems of life, especially 

 in the higher groups, than the domestic ani- 

 mals. The importance of the study cannot 

 be over-estimated from a purely scientific 

 standpoint, and certainly if the prosperity, 

 happiness and advancement of the human 

 race are put in the count the subject is of 

 transcendent importance." 



Reference of a like nature might be made 

 to numerous programs of scientific societies, 

 to courses of study in colleges and univer- 

 ties, to contributions to the best scientific 

 journals of the day, but no argument on the 

 subject is needed at this time, for the rea- 

 son that no observing person can be found 

 in this audience who does not already rec- 

 ognize the truth of the statement that I 

 have last made. 



I thank you for the high honor of choos- 



ing me president for a third time, and con- 

 gratulate j'ou on the excellent prospects for 

 a successful meeting on this, its twentieth 

 year, and predict that a long and useful 

 career yet remains for the Society for the 

 Promotion of Agricultural Science. 



W. J. Beal. 

 Agricultural College, Mich. 



THE BRITISS ASSOCIATION.'^ 

 Foe the second time, after a lapse of 27 

 years, the British Association will meet in 

 Bradford in the beginning of September. 

 N"ot a few of those who attended the first 

 meeting are still alive, some of them be- 

 ing among the most distinguished of our 

 living men of science. There is no doubt 

 that a certain number of those who at- 

 tended the previous meeting will again be 

 present in Bradford next month. They will 

 notice a very great change in the town ; it 

 has grown enormously ; it has been to a 

 large extent rebuilt ; and it has been raised 

 to the dignity of a city, while its popula- 

 tion has probably doubled. Bradford will 

 have much to show to those who are in- 

 terested in the many practical applications 

 of science. There will be abundant hos- 

 pitality, receptions, dinners, a smoking 

 concert, excursions to places of interest in 

 the neighborhood, and other forms of en- 

 tertainment for those — and they are many 

 — who regard the annual British Associa- 

 tion meeting as a gigantic picnic. 



The meeting of 1873 was presided over 

 by Professor A. W. Williamson, the distin- 

 guished chemist, whose presidential address 

 consisted mainly of a review of the progress 

 of chemistry up to that date. The advance 

 in this, as in other directions, since then 

 has been enormous. The president selected 

 at the previous meeting had been the late 

 distinguished physicist. Dr. Joule, but owing 

 to the state of his health he had to forego 

 the honor of presiding at the first Bradford 

 * A forecast from the London Times. 



