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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVIII. No. 972 



tonnage records, but the average value per ton 

 exceeded that of any normal year in the 33 

 years for which statistics are available. There 

 has been only one year when prices generally 

 were higher than in 1912, and that was 1903, 

 the year of the fuel famine. The gain in out- 

 put in 1912 over 1911 was 38,095,454 short 

 tons and the increase in value was $69,040,860. 

 The production of bituminous coal increased 

 from 405,907,059 short tons to 450,104,982 tons, 

 a gain of 44,197,923 tons, with an increase of 

 $66,607,626 in value. The decreased produc- 

 tion of anthracite, amounting to 6,102,469 

 short tons, was due entirely to the suspension 

 of mining in April and May, when practically 

 the entire region was idle. The factors which 

 contributed to the increased output of bitu- 

 minous coal were (1) the revival in the iron 

 and steel industry, which stimulated produc- 

 tion in the Eastern States, the coal made into 

 coke showing, alone, an increase of nearly 

 6,000,000 tons; (2) bumper crops of grain and 

 other agricultural products, which gave pros- 

 perity to the farming communities of the 

 Middle West; (3) decreasing supplies of 

 natural gas and fuel oil in the mid-continent 

 field and their consequent lessened competition 

 with coal from the southwestern states; (4) 

 increased consumption by railroads and in 

 nearly all lines of manufacturing; (5) activity 

 in the mining and smelting of the precious and 

 semiprecious metals in the Eocky Mountain 

 and Pacific states. These factors combined 

 made the year 1912 one of the rather rare 

 prosperous years in the mining of bituminous 

 coal. 



In the House of Commons on July 24 Mr. 

 Eunciman gave, as we learn from Nature, an 

 account of the work of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture during the past session. Arrangements 

 have been made for research on agricultural 

 subjects to be carried on at a number of cen- 

 ters, including Eothamsted, Manchester, Bir- 

 mingham, Oxford, Cambridge, the Eoyal Vet- 

 erinary College, Leeds, Wye, Bristol and Kew, 

 and grants amounting to £20,000 a year have 

 been made for the purpose. In addition, 

 £3,900 has been given for special investiga- 

 tions lying outside the scope of the program 

 of the special institutes. All these investiga- 



tions have reference to the great fundamental 

 problems lying at the root of the agricultural 

 and horticultural work of the country; the 

 work is wholly scientific. In order to bring 

 the scientific results into the region of prac- 

 tical farming a number of advisers have been 

 set up whose function it is to advise farmers 

 or county organizers in the light of the re- 

 sults of the scientific knowledge that is gained 

 A grant of £9,000 per annum has been made 

 towards the salaries of these advisers. 



The Geographical Magazine describes an 

 important project for the construction of a 

 vast port for the city of Milan destined to 

 meet all possible future developments of in- 

 ternal navigation. The municipality has ex- 

 pressed approval of the project, and intends to 

 apply to the state for powers to carry it into 

 execution. Detailed studies have been carried 

 out by MM. Beratta and Maiocchi, who, from 

 wide experience of the most important river- 

 ports of other European countries, have drawn 

 up plans for the proposed port in respect of 

 quays, wharfs, warehouses, railway and other 

 communications, docks, workshops and in- 

 stallations of all kinds on the most approved 

 modern principles. The total area to be cov- 

 ered by the port is 112 hectares (277 acres) 

 of which about 50 acres will be occupied by 

 the basins, an equal area by roads, railways, 

 etc., 25 acres by the stations and the remain- 

 der by the quays. It is hoped to begin opera- 

 tions at an early date, so that the port may be 

 ready by the completion of the great Venice- 

 Milan waterway, which is to give passage to 

 vessels of up to 600 tons burden. 



The federal Lighthouse Bureau and the 

 Forest Service are cooperating in forest work 

 on the shores of the great lakes in the lumber 

 states of Michigan and Wisconsin. The light- 

 house reservations here include a total of 

 nearly 5,500 acres, and range in size from 30 

 acres at Grand Island, Michigan, to 1,040 

 acres at Grand Marais. An examination is 

 just being started to determine the best forest 

 methods to pursue on the reservations. On 

 some, from which the timber has been cut, 

 white pine and Norway pine will be planted. 

 On others the timber already growing will be 



