222 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXII. No. 555. 



conservative forestry. They must have expert 

 men to control their holdings. The result is 

 that forestry is very rapidly taking its place 

 as a recognized profession. A number of 

 forest schools are training young men for this 

 work, but the demand has outrun the supply. 



We learn from the London Times that a 

 conference was held in London, on June 22, 

 between representatives of sea fishery author- 

 ities and the board of agriculture and fish- 

 eries on matters affecting the sea-fishing in- 

 dustry of the United Kingdom, Mr. Ailwyn 

 Fellowes, M.P., in welcoming the delegates 

 from the sea fisheries committees, regretted 

 that much had not resulted from their confer- 

 ences in the past in the way of legislation; 

 but he hoped that now that the fisheries had 

 been taken from an overburdened department 

 like the board of trade to the board of agri- 

 culture something would be done for the fish- 

 ing industry. Many of the matters in which 

 they asked for legislation required money; 

 but, unfortunately, the imperial finances were 

 not in such a satisfactory state as to allow of 

 money being spent at present on sea fisheries. 

 He hoped that in future there would be more 

 frequent meetings of the officials of the board 

 of agriculture and fisheries and the representa- 

 tives of the sea fisheries districts in dealing 

 with local fishery problems, and also in pro- 

 moting legislation applicable tO' the whole 

 kingdom. The conference then proceeded to 

 discuss several subjects, such as the protec- 

 tion of undersized sea fish and lobsters, fishery 

 statistics, the pollution of estuaries and in- 

 spection of shell-fish beds, and the necessity 

 of imperial grants being given to local fisheries 

 committees for fishery research. At the con- 

 clusion of the conference Sir Thomas Elliott 

 said it was the desire of the board to further 

 in every way the sea-fishing industry of the 

 country. 



The Geographical Journal states that the 

 latest report to the Academy of Sciences, by 

 the French committee controlling the scientific 

 operations for the degree measurement in 

 Ecuador shows that the difficulties with which 

 the observers have had to contend have shown 

 no signs of lessening during the year under 



review, and that, as a result, the completion of 

 the undertaking must once again be subject to 

 an unforeseen delay. As in former years, the 

 meteorological conditions have proved persist- 

 ently adverse, the amount of fog prevailing in 

 the upper region of the Andes rendering long 

 sojourns at many of the stations necessary. 

 Besides this, the presence of bubonic plague in 

 Ecuador has further hampered operations, 

 while several of the officers in charge have been 

 invalided through fever and other illnesses. 

 After summarizing the operations actually car- 

 ried but in 1904, the report discusses the steps 

 to be taken in view of the unexpected retarda- 

 tion of the work. In order to keep within the 

 limits of the funds at present available, it 

 would be necessary to curtail the operations in 

 four different ways, viz., by shortening the 

 length of the arc; substituting a less precise 

 method for the measurement of the southern 

 base; omitting the pendulum observations; 

 and giving up the extension to Machala on the 

 coast. The reporter points out the grave de- 

 fects by which the results would be impaired 

 if these curtailments of the original plan were- 

 decided on, one important requirement — viz. 

 the testing of the possible effect on the form of 

 the geoid exercised by the attraction of the 

 Andes — being thereby left unfulfilled. It is 

 therefore urged that the idea of such an abbre- 

 viation should not be entertained, but that 

 every effort should be made to carry out the 

 undertaking in its entirety. It is thought 

 that, even allowing for continued causes of 

 delay, the whole should be completed by May, 

 1906. 



Counsel Bardel, writing from Bamberg,, 

 Germany, says that in order to promote agri- 

 cultural interests the Kingdom of Bavaria has 

 established agricultural schools in thirty-one- 

 towns. These schools are in charge of teach- 

 ers who, in addition to an academical educa- 

 tion, must be generally efficient in botany, geol- 

 ogy, chemistry, physics, zoology and natural 

 history. The consul says: At a time when 

 nothing is doing in the fields, from November 

 to March, these schools are open, and peasant 

 farmers for a nominal fee can attend courses 

 on cultivation and fertilization of the soil, the- 



