SCIENCE. 



FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 1886. 



COMMENT AND CRITICISM. 

 New Hampshire is more frequently visited by 

 earthquakes than any other New England state ; 

 area for area, it is probably more often shaken 

 than any other part of the United States east of 

 the Rocky Mountains : but we have as yet very 

 little definite information about its shocks. It is 

 probable, from recent studies, that the area affected 

 by a single disturbance is much larger than has 

 been supposed. Systematic collection of records 

 for a number of years is needed ; and to this end, 

 members of the Appalachian Mountain club have 

 recently been urged by Mr. W. M. Davis of Cam- 

 bridge to interest residents in New Hampshire, 

 and elsewhere in New England, to report prompt- 

 ly any earthquake they may feel, noting its date, 

 time (accurately), duration (in seconds), sound, 

 and relative violence (very light, light, moderate, 

 strong, or severe). On the receipt of such report, 

 assistance will be given by the U. S. geological 

 survey to trace the extent of the area affected. 



Some of the difficulties of forest-culture in 

 the British empire were well brought out at the 

 meeting, May 4, of the select committee of 

 the house of commons, appointed on the motion 

 of Sir John Lubbock to take evidence upon the 

 subject of forestry, with a view to the desirability 

 of establishing a school of forestry. Dr. Sclieh, 

 director-general of Indian forestry administration, 

 in answer to Sir John Lubbock, said that there 

 was a fair field for investing a certain amount of 

 capital in woodland, provided the woods were 

 planted on surplus lands, and not on lands re- 

 quired for agriculture. He did not believe that 

 lands which could be made useful for agriculture 

 would yield the same terms if put in woodland. 

 There was a considerable quantity of waste land 

 in that country which could be set aside for wood- 

 land without infringing upon the land required 

 for agriculture. The establishment of a school of 

 forestry would be most valuable, because it would 

 disseminate better views with regard to the man- 

 agement of woods. The Indian government had 

 always been most anxious to help the colonies, 



No. 177. — 1SS6. 



and had sent forestry officers to Ceylon, to the 

 Cape, and to Cyprus ; but those officers always 

 returned to India because the colonies would not 

 offer them proper terms. The colonies wanted to 

 have men, and to be able to discharge them at their 

 will and pleasure. The Indian government ob- 

 jected to sending away experienced men for the 

 best portion of their working lives, and then to 

 have them return to India in order to be pensioned 

 off. If he were an owner of woods in England 

 under existing conditions, he would probably 

 send his wood bailiff for some time as an appren- 

 tice to a shrewd Scotch forester ; if there was a 

 school of forestry, he would probably send him 

 to that. A very large quantity of land in Ireland 

 was suitable for woodland ; and practically about 

 seven per cent of the land in Scotland was waste 

 land. 



The New York legislature has passed a 

 law for the regulation and control of the practice 

 of veterinary medicine. The law requires the 

 registration of all practitioners, with the evidence 

 of proper qualification afforded by a diploma from 

 some legally incorporated college, or a certificate 

 from an incorporated veterinary society. New York 

 is the first and only state in the union to recognize 

 and protect this profession, as it was the first to 

 establish veterinary schools and to organize a 

 state veterinary society. 



In connection with the article in Science of 

 June 18, on a ' Final buffalo-hunt,' it is interest- 

 ing to note the prospectus of the North-west 

 buffalo-breeding company. This prospectus sets 

 forth that Mr. S. L. Bedson, warden of the Mani- 

 toba penitentiary, a few years ago became pos- 

 sessed of a young buffalo-bull and four heifer 

 calves, which have so increased that he now has 

 a herd of eighteen bulls, twenty-five cows, and 

 eighteen calves, all thoroughbred ; that, experi- 

 menting by crossing with ordinary native cattle, 

 he has found the half-breed possesses largely the 

 characteristics of the thoroughbred, differing only 

 in color, which will make the robe more valuable 

 on account of its novelty ; and, further, that, by 

 judiciously crossing the thoroughbred bull with 

 the half-breed cows, he has grown three quarter- 



