822 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 



H. Failyer, J. G. Smitli and H. E. Wade. 

 The authors showed the composition of the 

 different separates— clay, silt and sand. The 

 amount of CaO, ITgO, K,0 and P,0, is 

 greater in the finer separate — clay. The 

 mechanical composition of two soils might be 

 the same, and yet these soils might be very 

 different chemically, and vice versa. 



The meeting adjourned to meet at the 

 Chemical Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins 

 University, Baltimore, on Saturday, April 11, 

 at 8 P.M., at which time Professor H. N. 

 Morse addressed the members on " Osmotic 

 Pressure." Professor Morse explained the 

 construction and use of the various apparatus 

 necessary in carrying on his researches. After 

 adjournment the members were given the 

 privilege of visiting Professor Morse's labora- 

 tory, where other apparatus was examined. 

 A resolution was passed thanking Professor 

 Morse for his paper. President Remsen for 

 his hospitality, and to the owners of the cop- 

 per and petroleum works for allowing the 

 members of the society to visit the works. 

 Over fifty members from Washington attended 

 the lecture, at which the attendance was over 

 eighty. 



J. A. LeClehc, 



Secretary 



THE ONONDAGA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



At the March meeting of the Onondaga 

 Academy of Sciences, Principal John D. Wil- 

 son spoke of the " Geographic Influences in 

 the Development of America." He described 

 the form and structure of the continent, its 

 eastern mountain barrier, the thi-ee important 

 g-atewayS through them, the character of the 

 people entering by each, the favorableness of 

 the New York entrance, and its importance 

 in regard to location, climate and character 

 of the people entering, and the effect of the 

 favorable environment upon the people. All 

 of these circumstances led him to prophesy 

 that New York will ultimately prove the 

 largest and most important city in the world. 



The secretary, Philip P. Schneider, spoke 

 of " The Formation of the Diamond." He 

 described the occurrence of the peculiar cubic 



carbon in the stony meteorites from Arva, 

 Hungary and Novo Urie, Siberia, and in the 

 iron meteorites from Youndegin, West Aus- 

 tralia, and Smithville, Tennessee; also the 

 subsequent discovery of diamonds in these and 

 other meteoric irons, describing with special 

 care the diamonds of the Canon Diablo mete- 

 orite obtained by Foote, Hunting-ton, Kunz 

 and others. He next considered the various 

 methods of producing the diamond artificially, 

 speaking at length of the method so success- 

 fully employed by Moissan of utilizing the 

 intense heat of the electric furnace and enor- 

 mous pressure generated by the sudden cool- 

 ing of molten iron, and of the experiments of 

 Priedlander of stirring molten olivene with 

 graphite and thus producing diamonds. The 

 analogy between the artificial diamonds and 

 their matrix and those of the meteorites 

 strongly suggests a similar origin in nature. 

 That diamonds will ultimately be proved to 

 have been formed at great depth and under 

 intense heat and pressure either in a magma 

 of molten iron or of olivene is probable, 

 although the careful development of this part 

 of the lecture was deferred until the next 

 meeting. 



The following officers were elected: 

 President — John D. Wilson. 

 Vice-president — Charles W. Hargitt. 

 Secretary — Philip F. Schneider. 

 Corresponding Secretary — Franklin H. Chase. 

 Treasurer — Louise W. Roberts. 

 Librarian — Mrs. L. L. Goodrich. 

 Councillors — D. M. Totman and S. R. Calthrop. 



F. H. Chase, 

 Corresponding Secretary 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE 



ARE PENSIONS FOB COLLEGE TEACHERS A FORM 



OP SOCLiLISM 



I REGRET to see in Science of April 24, an 

 expression of opinion by Professor J. McK. 

 Cattell about the Carnegie Foundation for the 

 Advancement of Teaching which seems to 

 be based on evidence that will not stand 

 the test of a careful examination. The 

 principle involved is familiar to economic 

 students, for it lies at the basis of a much 



J 



