844 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 492 



graphic illustration of the world 's progress, 

 each year extends the cui-ve upward. 



The conclusion that the known is but a 

 small fraction in comparison with the un- 

 known is perhaps startling, yet in view of 

 the recency of numerous discoveries and 

 the increasing rate of the returns from 

 more and more careful investigation, such 

 seems to be the ratio of the sum total of 

 man 's knowledge to the possible discoveries 

 of the future. To demonstrate this broad 

 proposition, which if true is most stimula- 

 ting to human endeavor, facts might be 

 131'esented from any department of knowl- 

 edge. We are saved the trouble of com- 

 pilation in this connection, hoAvever, by the 

 timely appearance of 'Year Book' No. 1 of 

 the Carnegie Institution. 



The officers of the Carnegie Institution, 

 in seeking to learn how they might best 

 apply the money placed at their disposal, 

 obtained assistance from various advisory 

 committees, consisting of from one to six 

 scientific experts, and in several instances 

 the committees themselves sought counsel 

 from other leaders in research both in the 

 United States and in foi-eign countries. The 

 reports of the committees referred to cover 

 284 octavo pages, and deal in a broad way 

 Avith the problems awaiting investigation 

 in several but by no means all departments 

 of learning. Some of the directions in 

 which, in the opinion of the members of the 

 committees, profitable research work can be 

 done, are enumerated below, but it is not 

 practical to review the entire category at 

 this time, and, besides, in several important 

 divisions the precise questions to be asked 

 of nature are not formulated. 



From the repoi'ts mentioned, we learn 

 that botanists are desirous of broadening 

 their science in at least two directions: 



The first pertains to the relation of vege- 

 tation to environment in the United States. 

 In this connection, studies are suggested as 

 to the function and effect of the forest in 



humid regions in reference to the influence 

 of trees on atmospheric moisture, precipita- 

 tion and run-off, and the converse effect on 

 the forest ; and also similar studies respect- 

 ing the plants of arid regions, for which 

 purpose the establishment and maintenance 

 of a desert botanical laboratory are advo- 

 cated. 



The second recommendation of the ad- 

 visory committee on botany is in reference 

 to the carrying on of extensive botanical 

 explorations in Central America and the 

 West Indies, for Avhich outline plans are 

 presented. 



These are the only ways in which the 

 committee seems to have thought it ex- 

 pedient to recommend the undertaking of 

 research work by the Carnegie Institution, 

 but even a novice in the science of plants 

 can readily see that there are promising 

 lines of work in many other directions. 



The advisory committee on physics out- 

 lines a broad plan for establishing a well 

 equipped physical laboratory to be devoted 

 to research work in pure physics, with a 

 corps of investigators, together Math recom- 

 mendations in reference to grants of money 

 to be made to persons, societies, etc., en- 

 gaged in physical research, but does not 

 outline the problems to be attacked. 



In reference to investigations pertaining- 

 to the earth, which are of mutual interest 

 to both physicists and geologists, the ad- 

 visory committee on geophysics outlines- 

 some of the more prominent problems 

 which demand immediate attention. 



Among the salient questions pertaining 

 to the earth's gaseous envelope, or the at- 

 mosphere, are those of its origin, its mass, 

 its mass-limitations, and its mass-distribu- 

 tion, the potential atmosphere absorbed in 

 the ocean and in the body of the earth, its 

 sources of depletion and enrichment, its 

 function as a thermal blanket over the sea 

 and land, the possible changes in its dia- 

 thermacy and the relations of these to 



