106 Scientific Intelligence. 



Last year it was decided to obtain from Mexico a good supply 

 of the economic plants most favorably known in that country, 

 and to cultivate them in the grounds of the station. The man- 

 agement was so fortunate as to obtain the services of Mr. C. G. 

 Pringle, the botanical collector, who is thoroughly conversant 

 with the most desirable sources of Mexican supply. His work 

 was exhaustive and thoroughly satisfactory in every respect. 

 The plants were shipped directly across the Gulf, and were 

 received in good condition. The collection now at the Station is 

 ample for a wide series of crosses and selections. 



Among the plants which had appeared to be desirable for 

 extensive experiments was cotton in its different varieties. It 

 soon became apparent, however, that this plant is confronted in 

 Cuba by its most implacable enemy, the cotton-ball worm. From 

 all the experiments upon this plant at the Station, it is plain that 

 large plantings in the island are sure to be attended with the 

 most complete failure until means can be devised to check the 

 mischief done by this insect. g. l. g. 



III. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. United States Coast and Geodetic Suri^ey. O. H. Tittman, 

 Superintendent, Annual Report 1902. 787 pp., 68 plates and 

 maps. — The details of the Coast Survey work from July 1, 1901, 

 to June 30, 1902, show gratifying progress in all its branches. 

 The progress of the work in the Philippine Islands is especially 

 noticeable. In addition to reports on the regular work of the 

 Survey, there are two appendices of timely value : one by W. D. 

 Alexander on Hawaiian Geographic N^ames (pp. 373-424), the 

 other by J. Howard Gore on a Bibliography of Geodesy (second 

 edition). 



2. Natio7icd Bureau of Standards. — In Circular of Informa- 

 tion, No. 3, S. W. Stratton, Director, explains the present facili- 

 ties for comparison of standards. Comparison may now be made 

 of length and capacity measures, weights, polariscopic apparatus, 

 hydrometers, thermometers, photometric standards, and electrical 

 instruments. 



3. 2''he Scientific Writings of George Francis Fitzgerald. 

 Edited by Joseph Laemor. xlv + 5(59 pp. London (Longmans, 

 Green & Co.). — In making a collection of Professor Fitzgerald's 

 writings " an endeavor has been made to include everj^thing sub- 

 stantial of a scientific character that he wrote." One hundred 

 and eight essays are here reproduced and the editor has added a 

 biographical and historical introduction. 



Obituary. 

 Professor J. Peter Lesley, the eminent geologist, whose life- 

 long labors contributed so much to our knowledge of the Penn- 

 sylvania Coal-measures and of the structure of the Appalachians 

 in general, died at Milton, Mass., on June 1, aged eighty-three 

 years. 



