Massachusetts is to have a three thousandacre fish and game preserve on the end of Cape Cod as the result of the efforts of the chairman of the harbor and land commission, who has succeeded in getting trees and grass to grow on the sand dunes, thus keeping them from drifting. There are thirty-three hundred acres of sand owned by the commonwealth on the end of the cape. They form the northwestern part of Provincetown. Race Point light stands at the extreme northwestern angle of the proposed reservation. The ocean at high tide makes up into the sand back of the light, forming a fair-sized but shallow basin called Race run. It is proposed to dam this water and make a pond of it. The fish and game commission has promised to put fish here and in several other ponds in the reservation. A public park may be made out of this former waste of dunes, and a refuge afforded for the thousands of sea birds that frequent the New England shores. No hunting or fishing will be allowed in this preserve. The possibility of having such a reservation on Cape Cod grew out of the success achieved in getting trees and grass to grow in the sand. Brush was distributed over the sand and grass planted between. This has taken hold.

Mt. Washington, in New Hampshire, is the nation's property at last. The government and the owners have now agreed upon the purchase price, the foresters are satisfied with the terms, and it is altogether probable that the forest reservation commission will at once authorize the transaction. This is the most important purchase that the government has made in connection with the White Mountain National Forest establishment. Already the government owns some of the summits of the Presidential range, Madison and Adams and their northern slopes. This latest purchase of thirty-five thousand acres includes all of the great central peak, Mt. Washington, together with its flanks and spurs and six other Presidential peaks as well, Clay, Jefferson, and Adams of the northern group, with Monroe, Franklin, and Pleasant in the southern chain. Included within this area are the Great gulf, a wild ravine six miles long on the easterly side of Mt. Washington, and the Huntington and Tuckerman ravines, where, in ages past, glaciers dwelt.

It is intimated as being probable that the world is about to shake itself free from the domination of the German Kali syndicate. Potash in immense quantities has been discovered only recently in Spain, and already French and Spanish engineers have proved up deposits in the vicinity of Barcelona, which, it is said, contain more than two hundred million tons of the highest grade potash salts the world has yet discovered. These discoveries are of incalculable value to the fertilizer companies; they also mean much to the woolen industry, which uses potash in wool scouring and for other purposes. Potash goes into a wide range of industrial endeavor. These Spanish deposits outcrop in certain cases, something which rarely happens in Germany. Some of the German mines run down fifteen hundred to two thousand feet, and the shafts through which operations are conducted, are expensive to construct owing to the necessity of keeping all water seepage out of the mine.

"The army and navy branch of the Young Men's Christian Association is making a college course of an army enlistment," said an officer recently at a United States artillery training camp. "I know of a number of men who enlisted because they were unable to find profitable employment," he continued, "and who, realizing that it was a lack of elementary education that handicapped them as civilians, began studying arithmetic, English, and other subjects at Ft. Meyer. Many of them continued to the advanced grades, and some even perfected themselves in technical subjects. The consequence was, that when they had served their enlistments they got paying jobs, which, but for their army service and the Y. M. C. A., they would never have been able to hold. Even foreign languages are taught at some of the posts."

In the twelve months ended with June the total trade of the United States, both import and export, with the two empires of Germany and Austria, reached the grand total of $577,542,504. Of this great trade, $42,829,092 represents import and export transactions for the year between Austria-Hungary and the United States, while the balance, $534,713,412, is German-American trade in both directions. During the same period the United States shipped to the United Kingdom merchandise valued at $594,271,863, while British imports here reached $293,661,304.

The amount of coal mined in Sweden annually is only about eight hundred and sixty thousand tons, while the importation of coal amounts to about five million tons, besides four hundred and eighty thousand tons of coke. It is estimated that there are ten million acres of peat bogs in Sweden, and that there are approximately five thousand tons to the acre, or a total deposit of about fifty billion tons.

"The year 1913 is our banner year in the production of minerals," is the announcement made by Secretary of the Interior Lane. The secretary further said: "Our mineral production in 1913 reached the unequaled amount of two and a half billion dollars, which was an increase of more than two hundred million dollars over the output for 1912, and of five hundred million dollars over the 1911 figures."

The importance of mineral oil exports is attracting attention now that these have been almost completely shut off. The ratio of the value of these to the total exports of the United States during the past five years, has been approximately 5 per cent. Mineral oils have been exported in the past five years to the value of six hundred million dollars, comprising 9,215,265,000 gallons.

Estimates coming from all over the state of Kansas indicate that all previous wheat acreage will be exceeded this fall, the figures showing that probably more than ten million acres will be planted. Something more than eight million acres was harvested this year, producing a crop of approximately one hundred and eighty-six million bushels.

After many days' consideration, the federal reserve board has decided that it will open all twelve reserve banks at the same time. This decision was reached after discussion of a proposal that the New York, Boston, and possibly other banks in the East, be opened first. The board felt that such a plan would be unwise.

Germany, on Aug. 17, acknowledged receipt of the United States mediation proposals. Answers have been received from the King of England, the President of France, and the Emperor of Austria. The mediation proposal has reached the Russian foreign office.

Nine hundred thousand barrels of oil are reported burned in the Healdton and Cushing oil fields of Oklahoma. Lightning started the fires. The loss is estimated at four hundred thousand dollars, with about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars insurance.

President Wilson personally, by letter, has called the attention of the attorney-general to the general rise in food prices, and has asked the department of justice to conduct an investigation to ascertain corrective measures and whether there is conspiracy.

During the first week of business the Panama canal earned approximately fifty-five thousand dollars, not including the amount collected for barge service and payments made in advance for ships on their way to use the canal.

The United States Senate has passed the emergency war risk insurance bill, carrying an appropriation of five million dollars for the purpose of insuring American vessels and cargoes against the hazards of war.

The railway returns for Great Britain for 1913 show that the number of miles of running track open were 40,689, and the miles of sidings were 14,749. The number of passengers of all classes totaled 1,228,316,000.

In conformity with the ruling of the United States Supreme Court, the interstate commerce commission has issued an order vacting its previous decision, which held oil tap lines not to be common carriers.

Russia, it is announced, has offered autonomy to Poland in return for her loyalty, and the Czar will sign a proclamation giving Jews civil and political rights equal to those of other Russian subjects.

The total cultivated surface of Argentina at the present time is 59,532,000 acres, the increase for 1913 being placed at 2,728,000 acres. Wheat, linseed, oats, and corn are the leading farm products.

The output of gold in the Transvaal for June, 1914, was declared at 717,926 ounces, valued at £3,049,558.

Germany has raised the embargo on exportations of dyestuffs.