268 



SCIENCE. 



■ [N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 476. 



(transparent pink crystals, one measuring 110 

 X T5 X 65 mm. and weighing 850 grams), 

 lepidolite, pink andalusite, musoovite, ortho- 

 clase and quartz. 



The field is certainly a very interesting one 

 and is well worth further study. Many of the 

 minerals occur in good crystals having rich 

 combinations of forms, and the color of some 

 of the specimens suggests interesting chem- 

 ical possibilities. It is probable that with 

 further exploration the list of minerals will 

 be considerably increased. 



Waldemae T. Schallee. 



U. S. Geological Sukvet. 



A NOTE ON EHIZOCTONIA. 



The bean crop in the vicinity of St. Louis 

 was severely injured this year in many in- 

 stances by Rhizoctonia, sp. which not only at- 

 tacked the stems and larger roots of the plants, 

 but also produced brown, sunken areas on the 

 surface of the pods, penetrating the latter and 

 discoloring the seeds. An examination of a 

 number of seeds whose surface was discolored 

 disclosed the fact that the mycelium of the 

 fungus had established itself in the seed coat 

 and in many instances had formed minute 

 sclerotia there without rotting the seed or even 

 penetrating the cotyledons. Pure cultures of 

 Rhizoctonia were easily obtained from a num- 

 ber of mature discolored beans which had been 

 carefully removed from diseased pods. The 

 presence of the fungus does not prevent the 

 germination of the seed, as was proved by a 

 test. From this it follows that a very com- 

 mon means of disseminating Rhizoctonia on 

 the bean is through diseased seed, and that 

 seedsmen should be careful not to send out 

 discolored beans. 



G. G. Hedgcock. 



Mississippi Valley Laboratoet, 

 St. Louis, Mo. 



QVOTATWNS. 



THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION. 



It is worth pointing out that the almost in- 

 evitable outcome of the present policy will be 

 a centralization of a very objectionable kind. 

 If the activities of the Carnegie Institution 

 were to be wholly confined to aiding individ- 



uals here and there, that end could have been 

 best attained by dividing the endowment 

 among the leading institutions of learning, 

 under such restrictions as might have been 

 necessai-y. Every such organization could 

 then have determined for itself, better than a 

 central one at Washington, what the needs 

 of its professors were, and what might be the 

 importance of their work. It could have es- 

 tablished branch stations at least as well as 

 can the Washington institution. It could 

 have sought out the exceptional man with even 

 better chances of finding him, because its field 

 of knowledge would have been wider than that 

 of any central authority. Each could, for 

 itself, have selected the best research-assistant 

 to be found. 



ISTow, instead of this result, we actually have 

 a central authority passing judgment upon the 

 relative importance of the work being done at 

 all the institutions of learning from which 

 applications may come, and aiding them, or 

 refusing aid, according to their judgment. 

 One very probable outcome of this has not 

 been suificiently considered. It must tend, to 

 a greater or less extent, to diminish the spirit 

 of individual effort, just as gifts are apt to do 

 in many other walks of life. This effect will 

 be intensified by a very obvious and reasonable 

 provision announced by the institution as 

 governing its action. It does not propose to 

 undertake anything that is being well done by 

 other agencies. It would, of course, be super- 

 fluous to assist a professor in cases where the 

 patrons of his own institution could be in- 

 duced to do so. The latter will naturally not 

 be very liberal in giving their funds if the 

 Carnegie Institution can be successfully ap- 

 pealed to. If the appeal is a failure, that 

 failure will be a reason against the project in 

 the mind of a possible donor. The dilemma 

 will be that of Omar : If the Carnegie Institu- 

 tion can be induced to support your work, our 

 aid is not needed; if it can not be so induced, 

 the object is not worthy of our support. Of 

 course, it is not claimed that this considera- 

 tion will be universal, or will be operative im- 

 mediately and in all cases. But to suppose 

 that it will never be operative in any degree 

 is contrary to every principle of human nature. 



