SCIENCE 



I'KIDAV. AUGUST 31, 1H88. 



Some very interesting inquiries are suggested by the 

 statistics of the enrolment of pupils in the private schools of the 

 country, which will appear in the forthcoming report of the 

 National Bureau of Education. These statistics are necessarily 

 very fragmentary, and some of them bear internal evidence of their 

 incorrectness. But in a few States the reports are sufficiently full 

 to indicate a tendency, at least. In Vermont, for instance, there 

 was a decrease of .36 per cent in the enrolment of children in the 

 public schools, while the enrolment in the private schools increased 

 3.57 per cent. In Connecticut the increase in the public-school en- 

 rolment was only .2 per cent, but in the private schools it was 5.13 

 percent; and in New York the figures are .98 and 4.12 percent 

 respectively. But these percentages alone might be very mislead- 

 ing, since they are computed on different quantities. The actual 

 statistics show that Vermont lost from her public-school enrol- 

 ment in the year, 265 pupils, and gained in her private schools 259. 

 In Connecticut the gains were 255 and 778 respectively; and in 

 New York, 10,045 ^fd 5,268. Some startling conclusions might 

 be drawn from a superficial consideration of these figures as to the 

 tendency of public opinion as to the relative value of public and 

 private schools ; but no confidence could be placed in them, owing 

 to the absence of so many necessary elements of the problem. At 

 the same time it is very desirable that the statistics of the private 

 schools of the country should be collected with the utmost com- 

 pleteness and accuracy, and it is encouraging that Connecticut has 

 already taken legislative action that should secure a complete 

 system of private-school reports in the future, and that movements 

 in the same direction are on foot in several other States. 



Reports received in Washington from Callao describe the 

 sudden collapse of the paper money of Peru. Part of this cur- 

 rency, amounting to 20.000.000 soles, was issued by the banks at 

 Lima ten years ago, and guaranteed by the government. The re- 

 maining 40,000,000 soles is government money. Its purchasing 

 capacity declined several years ago to one-twentieth of that of 

 silver, but, in the absence of any other circulating medium, it con- 

 tinued to be used by the people. Finally, in the brief period of ten 

 days, confidence was lost in it so rapidly that it was virtually 

 repudiated in all business transactions not directly connected 

 with the government, which receives it in half payment for duties 

 on imports, and pays it out to its employees. The amount 

 of silver in circulation in Peru is very small. The banks and 

 commercial houses of Lima and Callao could not produce 2,000,- 

 000 soles. The experience of Peru is but a repetition of that of 

 eveiy other country that has violated the scientific law in es- 

 tablishing as a circulating medium an article that has no ex- 

 changeable value itself, and is not made redeemable in a commod- 

 ity that has — only more swift and disastrous. 



When a wrong is assailed in general terms, the assault is 

 apt to be interesting to those who participate in it, and perhaps 

 to those who witness it ; but there is some danger that it may not 

 accomplish very much. This truth is illustrated by the results 

 which have so far followed the attempts of various medical jour- 

 nals in this countrj- to abate the evil of quack advertisements in 

 religious newspapers. These attempts have been approved and ap- 

 plauded by medical men, and those who made them knew they 



were discharging a useful office. But the religious newspapers 

 have not been cured ; and, indeed, they do not seem to have im- 

 proved materially. One of the reasons for this is, no doubt, the 

 fact that the attack has not been sufficiently sharp on any portion 

 of the line to break it, and that, while the whole religious press bore 

 the brunt of the assault, no one part experienced any special incon- 

 venience from it. The Medical and Surgical Reporter, believing 

 that no reform is ever accomplished without somebody being hurt, 

 now states that they shall not hesitate, when next they take this 

 subject up, to lay hands on particular religious papers, and say 

 plainly to the editor of each, " Thou art the man ! " 



CONVENTION OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTS. 



The convention of official agricultural chemists, composed of 

 analytical chemists connected with the United States Agricultural 

 Department, or with state or national agricultural experimental 

 stations or agricultural colleges, or with state or national institu- 

 tions or bodies charged with the official control of analysis of fer- 

 tilizers, soils, cattle-foods, dairy-products, and other material con- 

 nected with agricultural industr)', met in the library of the Agricul- 

 tural Department during the first week of August. About thirty 

 members were present, including two delegates from Canada. 



The method of this convention is to distribute samples in advance 

 to all its members, upon the analysis of which they make reports, 

 the object being to secure uniformity of methods and results. Pre- 

 vious to last year, fertilizers only were analyzed. A year ago there 

 were reports on dairy-products, and cattle-foods were added ; and 

 this year fermented liquors and sugars. The analyses this year 

 showed, that, following the methods adopted by the association, 

 the older and more experienced official chemists arrived at as uni- 

 form results as could be expected, — entirely satisfactory ones, — 

 but that there was great room for improvement among others. 

 Following the same methods, some of the chemists reach very 

 widely differing results. 



One encouraging fact was mentioned by the secretarj-, and that 

 was the very general recognition which the association is receiving 

 from the manufacturers of, dealers in, and users of fertilizers. This 

 has been shown by the great demand for the bulletin of the asso- 

 ciation, the edition of which for last year was exhausted several 

 months ago, with the call for it still continuing, and by the numer- 

 ous letters received by the secretary, expressing a desire, on the 

 part of all those interested in the manufacture, sale, or use of fer- 

 tilizers, to conform their methods of analysis to those adopted by 

 the association. Those interested in other articles subjected to 

 analysis by the association will probably show the same interest 

 when the extension of its work becomes known. 



By a change in the constitution, all members of the association 

 who lose their right to membership by retiring from the positions 

 that entitled them to it. may become honorar>' members, and exer- 

 cise all the privileges of membership except the right to hold office 

 and vote. It is believed that this amendment will secure the con- 

 tinued interest and co-operation of those who would otherwise 

 cease all connection with the association. 



Another amendment of the constitution places the selection of 

 subjects for discussion, and the distribution of samples, in the 

 hands of a number of ' reporters,' appointed by the president, to 

 each of whom certain topics are assigned. These are to take the 

 place of the committees. 



The officers chosen for the ensuing year were. Prof. J. A. Meyers 

 of West Virginia, president ; Prof. M. A. Scovell of Kentuck)', vice- 

 president ; Prof. Clifford Richardson of Washington, secretary ; 

 Profs. William Frear of Pennsylvania and H. W. Wiley of Wash- 

 ington, executive committee. 



