June 16, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



925 



tor of the N. J. Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, known for his important contribu- 

 tions to agricultural chemistry and agricul- 

 tural education, died on June 6, aged fifty- 

 four years. 



Professor William Russell Dudley, since 

 1893 professor of botany in Stanford Univer- 

 sity, died on June 4, aged sixty-two years. 



Mrs. Emma Wilson Davidson Mooers, cus- 

 todian of the neuropathic collection of the 

 Harvard Medical School, previously assistant 

 pathologist in the Worcester and Maclean 

 Hospitals, died on May 31. 



The death is announced of Mr. Eobert 

 Service, of Dumfries, Scotland, who while 

 conducting the work of a nursery made val- 

 uable contributions to ornithology. 



There is existing a vacancy in the position 

 of physical chemist in the Bureau of Mines, 

 Department of the Interior, at Washington, 

 D. C. This position requires a high order 

 of scientific training equivalent to that re- 

 quired by the leading American universities 

 for a professorship in physical chemistry. 

 A man is wanted who will be able to organ- 

 ize, to participate in, and to supervise the 

 physical and chemical investigations of prob- 

 lems that serve as a basis for modern metal- 

 lurgical methods, especially the problems con- 

 nected with the ores, operations and products 

 of modern smelters. The government is en- 

 deavoring to find the best man available for 

 this work and has no particular individual in 

 view. The methods of procedure will be 

 similar to those of an educational institution 

 or business organization, whose board of 

 trustees or governing ofiicers desire to fill 

 professional or technical positions. The 

 qualifications and fitness will be determined 

 by an impartial board of scientific men. The 

 entrance salary for this position is $4,000 per 

 annum. There is also existing a vacancy in 

 the Bureau of Mines in the position of chief 

 mechanical engineer at an entrance salary 

 of $4,800 per annum. For this position it is 

 desired to secure a man who will be able to 

 participate in and supervise the various me- 

 chanical engineering problems appropriate to 



the work of the Bureau of Mines, including 

 investigations looking to a greater efficiency 

 in the utilization of mineral fuels at the 

 various heating and power plants of the gov- 

 ernment in different parts of the country, and 

 the mechanical problems connected with vari- 

 ous mining operations. Qualified persons 

 who are interested in these positions are in- 

 vited to communicate with the U. S. Civil 

 Service Commission, Washington, D. C, at 

 an early date, since the selections will be 

 made about the middle of July. 



According to a bulletin issued by the Bu- 

 reau of Statistics the month of May was not, 

 on the whole, very favorable for crop growth, 

 drouthy conditions having prevailed over a 

 great portion of the United States. In con- 

 sequence the average condition of crop growth 

 in the United States on June 1 was 2.8 per 

 cent, below the average condition on that date. 

 Some relief from the unfavorable conditions 

 came at the close of May and first part of 

 June. A comparison of the conditions of 

 various crops on June 1, with their average 

 growing condition on June 1 of recent years 

 (past ten years for most crops) is shown as 

 follows (100 representing average conditions 

 and not normal) : cotton 108.5, sugar beets 

 103.2, apples 102.5, raspberries 101.8, spring 

 wheat 101.1, watermelons 100.6, pears 99.7, 

 cantaloupes 99.6, blackberries 99.5, sugar cane 

 99.5, barley 99.2, winter wheat 98.5, rye 98.2, 

 oats 96.9, alfalfa 96.1, onions 95.5, lima beans 

 92.5, cabbage 91.0, pastures 90.2, hemp 89.0, 

 clover hay 84.6, all hay 85.1, peaches 83.5. 

 The above figures relate only to relative grow- 

 ing conditions, not taking into account 

 changes in acreages. Taking into account 

 both acreage and condition, indications are 

 for about 9.9 per cent, larger wheat crop than 

 was produced last year, and 10.2 per cent, 

 larger than the average of the past five years ; 

 oats crop 13.3 per cent, less than last year, 

 but 4.8 per cent, more than the average of 

 the past five years; barley 8 per cent, more 

 than last year, and 5.3 per cent, more than 

 the five-year average. Total areas have not 

 been estimated for the other crops, except that 

 the rye area planted is about 1.2 per cent, less 



