SCIENCE. 
3i 
character and tone to its proceedings. The amateurs 
must constitute the rank and file, accept that position, 
and keep to it, until by some special qualifications they 
may be promoted to a higher grade. 
In England such is the case. Taking the case of 
the Quekett Microscopical Society, such men as Pro- 
fessor Huxley, Dr. Lionel Beale and Dr. Cobbold, the 
eminent helminthologist, have presided over the pro- 
ceedings, and the result has been that over five hun- 
dred members have enlisted under such leadership. 
Compare this with the American Microscopical Society 
of New York established in the same year. Who ever 
heard of a paper read before this body, or a single 
piece of scientific work performed by one of its 
members ? No fossil could be more inactive than 
this society ; it exists on paper only, and for the 
benefit of a few officials. 
A younger Microscopical Society, established in 
New York city about three years since, has been 
organized on an equally faulty basis, and now numbers 
but thirty members. The co-operation of the right 
men has never been asked, and probably would not 
be accepted, and in consequence, a future of inactivity 
and embarassment may be anticipated. 
To make American Scientific Societies as effective 
as those in England, they must be organized on a 
sufficiently popular basis, to interest the sympathy and 
support of the public ; and presided over by men of 
known scientific ability, whose presence will encourage 
the student, and give a character to the proceedings. 
In regard to the aid given by scientific journals in 
promoting useful co-operation between the scientist 
and the student, we may state that one of the objects 
of “ Science ” is to promote such a consummation, 
and that aim will be constantly kept in view. As a step 
in the right direction we have here indicated some of 
the means, by which the icy barrier which now sepa- 
rates those who should be cordially united in a great 
work, may be gently thawed by the inspiring influ- 
ences of united action and generous co-operation. 
A SCHOOL of agriculture has been formed at Canterbury, 
New Zealand, situated at Lincoln, twelve miles from the 
city of Canterbury. This institution is under the direction 
of Mr. W. E. Ivey, comprises lecture theatre, library, 
museum, chemical laboratory. A farm of 500 acres is 
attached to the institution, a portion of which will be 
devoted to experimental purposes for testing the various 
methods of cultivation. 
M. Daubree, director of the French School of 
Mines, has published an essay on Descartes, in which he 
summarises the services rendered by that philosopher to 
science. He reminds his readers that Descartes advo- 
cated the theory of an igneous origin for the earth, and 
he enters into a lengthened discussion of the objections 
which may be raised against the theory of actual causes. 
The Earl of Spencer, in a recent speech in the House 
of Lords, admitted the application of science to agricul- 
ture. He said : “ Great attention had of late years been 
very properly called to the great aid which science gave 
to the various classes of manufactures and producers ; 
and that principle applied with quite as great force to 
agriculture as to any other art. If science could enable 
our agriculturists to produce more from the land than 
they had hitherto done, it would add another to the many 
useful things it had been the means of accomplishing.” 
These words might, with some propriety, have been 
spoken twenty years ago, and if they represent the 
present relation of science to British agriculture, much of 
the unprofitable results of farming in that country may 
be thus explained. 
Lord Spencer said, that it had been at last decided to 
open a class for agriculture next August, at the Depart- 
ment of Science and Art. We commend Lord Spencer to 
a perusal of the reports of the department of Agriculture 
at Washington, especially that for 1878, in which the 
value of science to the agriculturist is very evident. 
The value of scientific journals has been attested to, 
by the humble class of astronomers who exhibit their 
telescopes at corners of streets in Paris, showing the 
moon, planets and other celestial objects which may be 
seen with telescopes ot moderate quality. They state 
that since the publication of the Astronomie Pofiulaire 
the number of their customers has nearly doubled. 
It appears from a statement by M. Flammarion that 
the scientific journalists of Paris meet monthly, when 
papers are read, and other business transacted. 
M. J. M. Gaugain, the eminent French electrician, 
recently died at the age of seventy years. 
At a recent trial in England, a gas company was sued 
for damages, the plaintiff having been rendered insensible 
by an escape of the company’s gas, due to a breakage in 
their mains. The plaintiff alleged that he suffered for a 
considerable length of time after the accident, and was 
unfit for business. The jury accepted the view of Dr. 
Tidy and Dr. Hastings, who gave scientific evidence on 
the subject, they being of the opinion that the effect of 
inhaling coal gas was very transitory ; and that if suffi- 
cient was not inhaled to cause death, it would shortly 
pass from the system, and its ill effects cease. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
To the Editor of Science : 
Dear Sir : — In the Physical Laboratory we noticed last 
Winter a beautiful experiment with vapors. An alcohol 
lamp, burning, was put under the receiver of the air pump. 
A few strokes put out the flame. The air returning, a 
single stroke of the piston caused the receiver to fill with a 
dense and transient cloud, soon disappearing with a change 
of pressure in the receiver. This experiment has interesting 
relations to rain fall, and other meteorological phenomena. 
G. M. Mansfield. 
Laboratory of Asbury University, 
Indiana, July 7, 1880. 
