SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Nkwcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickeeing. 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; R. H. Thueston, Engineering; Iea Remsen, Chemistry; 



J. Le Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. 



Beooks, C. Haet Meeeiam, Zoology; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology; N. L. Beitton, 



Botany; Heney F. Osboen, General Biology; H. P. Bowditch, Physiology; 



J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKebn Cattell, Psychology ; 



Daniel G. Beinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, March 26, 1897. 



CONTENTS: 

 The Forest Seservation Policy : B. E. Feenow 489 



Experiments iipon Metabolism in the Human Body, 

 under the Direction of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture 493 



An Induction Coil Method for X-Bays : Chaeles 

 L. NoETON, Ralph E. Lawebnoe 496 



The New York State Science Teachers' Association 

 {II. ), including Addresses by Ralph S. Tarr and 

 . Eichard E. Dodge : Feanklin W. Baeeows ..498 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



Tennessee Valley Region, Alabama ; The Pregladal 

 ■ Kanawha Again ; Stages of Appalachian Erosion ; 

 Baltzer on the Diluvial Aar Glacier : W. M. 

 Davis 507 



Current Notes on Meteorology .•— 

 ' The Teaching of Climatology in Medical Schools : 

 Sunstroke Weather of August, 1S96 ; Deforestation, 

 and Rainfall: R. DeC. Waed 508 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



Tlie European ' Quaternary ' Man ; The African 

 Dwarfs: D. G. Beinton 509 



Scientific Notes and News : — 



A Bill for the SiqJpression of Science, Literature 

 and Art; General 510 



University and Educational News 514 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The Former Extension of Ice in Greenland : R. S. 

 Taee, T. C. Chambkelin. History of Elemen- 

 tary Mathematics : Floeian Cajoei 515 



Scientific Literature : — 



Creighton's 3Iicroscopic Researches on the Formative 

 Property of Glycogen: R. H. CHITTENDEN. 

 Barnes' Analytical Keys to the Genera and Species 

 of North American 3Iosses : Geo. F. Atkinson.. 517 



Scientific Journals : — 

 Journal of Geology : H. F. B. American Chem- 

 ical Journal : J. Elliott Gilpin. The Astro- 

 physical Journal 519 



Societies and Academies : — 



Torrey Botanical Club : Edwaed S. Buegess. 



Science Club of the University of Wisconsin. W. 

 S. Maeshall. The Academy of Science of St. 

 Louis : Wm. Teelease. Science Club of North- 

 western University: Thomas F. Holgate 523 



New Books 524 



MSS. intended for publication and booka, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Prof. J. 

 McKeen Cattell, 6arrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



THE FOREST RESERVATION POLICY. 



On March 3, 1891, the Congress of the 

 United States enacted into law a new and 

 important policy, namely, that the govern- 

 ment should own and hold in perpetuity 

 certain lands other than those needed for 

 its immediate purposes or those set aside 

 for parks. 



This departure from the accepted policy 

 of the past, according to which the public 

 domain is held by the government only 

 until it can be disposed of to actual settlers, 

 was based upon the perception that a forest 

 cover on slopes and mountains must be 

 maintained to regulate the flow of streams, 

 to prevent erosion and thereby to maintain 

 favorable conditions in the plains below. 



Enormous devastation of the public 

 timber by theft and fire has gone on for 

 decades, through absence of any care and 

 through lack of any rational system in the 

 manner of permitting the utilization of the 

 wood material by the resident population. 

 For tbe last 25 years every Secretary of the 

 Interior, every Commissioner of the Gen- 

 eral Land Office, has pointed out this de- 

 plorable condition and has asked for legisla- 



