1034 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 287. 



practical resources with the electrical engineer. 

 This field is that of great electro-motive force, 

 and I, therefore, thinking that it is important 

 at this stage of the development of electricity 

 to take advantage of the many practical im- 

 provements in dynamos and electrical circuits 

 for the furtherance of the study of electrical 

 pressure, have had installed in the Laboratory 

 the most powerful apparatus for this purpose in 

 the world. 



The plant consists of 20,000 storage cells giv- 

 ing 40,000 volts or electrical units of pressure ; 

 and this can be augmented to 3,000,000 volts. 

 In the construction of this powerful plant it was 

 found that this limit of 3,000,000 of volts could 

 not be exceeded as long as the apparatus is situ- 

 ated in a building, for the inductive action of 

 the walls and the floors is so great that a serious 

 loss results. In order to obtain the full effect of 

 3,000,000 volts the apparatus should be placed 

 in the center of Holmes field and should be 

 raised at least thirty feet from the ground. 

 This great electrical plant opens a wide field 

 of scientific inquiry. It enables one to study 

 by spectrum analysis the effect of intense heat 

 on gases and the vapor of metals ; for by means 

 of this battery one can produce the highest de- 

 gree of instantaneous temperature yet attained. 

 I am at present investigating the spectrum of 

 hydrogen in the hope of obtaining some clue 

 to the conditions of temperature in the stars. 

 The plant also furnishes the ideal method of 

 producing the X-rays. A Crookes can be made 

 to glow with perfectly steady light giving out 

 the X-rays with intense brilliancy and afford- 

 strong contrasts which have long been desired. 

 For surgical purposes a steady source of these 

 rays is of the utmost importance. All the 

 methods in present use produce the rays by a 

 more or less fluctuating process, whereas the 

 method I have adopted is by the use of a steady 

 current of electricity from a battery constantly 

 in one direction. This current can be regulated 

 to any desired degree. The result has never 

 been accomplished before. 



The interesting fact that a steady current at 

 40,000 units of pressure or volts is so efiicient 

 in producing the X-rays leads me to believe 

 that a plant similar to the one in the Jefierson 

 Physical Laboratory, but of much smaller di- 



mensions — having the same number of cells but 

 smaller ones — may be a desirable adjunct to a 

 great hospital. 



THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF 

 FORESTRY. 



The College of Forestry of Cornell Univer- 

 sity has made provision, as has been already 

 stated in this Journal, for a course of lectures 

 on ' Fish and Game Protection and Fish Cul- 

 ture ' as a regular part of the curriculum, and 

 Dr. Barton AY. Evermann, Ichthyologist of the 

 U. S. Fish Commission, has been selected as 

 special lecturer to give the course. The in- 

 struction will consist of laboratory work and 

 field excursions, together with lectures upon 

 the life-histories of food and game fishes, their 

 artificial propagation and protection ; the rela- 

 lation of the forests to the streams and lakes 

 and their inhabitants ; the proper care of 

 streams and lakes with reference to forestry, 

 logging, lumbering, milling, mining and irriga- 

 tion operations ; and the value and protection 

 of the mammals and birds of the forest. 



Dr. B. E. Fernow, the Director of College of 

 Forestry, properly considers that the forester 

 should know not only how to care for the forest 

 proper, but that he should understand that the 

 protection of the denizens of the forest and the 

 streams and lakes within the forest, and their 

 inhabitants, also, constitute a legitimate and 

 important part of his work. 



The graduates of the College of Forestry are 

 the men who will be called to the management 

 of the National Forest reservations and the 

 large private forest properties, and it is gratify- 

 ing to know that they will enter upon their 

 work with the broad and rational view of their 

 duties and their opportunities. 



This course was first given to the juniors and 

 seniors of the present year at Axton, N. Y. 

 (where the State College Forest is located) dur- 

 ing the second and third weeks in May. Here- 

 after the course will be considerably lengthened 

 in time and made more comprehensive in char- 

 acter. 



Dr. Fernow will receive the thanks and con- 

 gratulations of all persons interested in the 

 preservation of our forests and the protection 

 of the inhabitants of the forest and the forest 



