The Massachusetts Forestry Association, to encourage reclamation, reforestation, and development in the state, has proposed a town forest contest. Fifty acres will be planted to three year old white pine transplants for the city or town which meets the requirements in the rules of the contest and obtains the highest number of points under stated conditions. The rules provide that the city or town entering must own at least one hundred acres of land and have it set aside officially as a "town forest." At least ten cities or towns must have entered the contest before the prize will be awarded, and all entries must be made before July 1, 1916. The points will be estimated on the following basis: area of the tract or tracts of land comprising the "forest, ten points; advantages for lumbering, and water and soil protection, twenty points; possibilities for recreation and esthetic development, fifteen points; fire protection, twenty-five points; general improvement,—roads, fences, reforestation according to modern methods and plans for development,—thirty points.

According to a bulletin issued by the department of agriculture, there has been an extraordinary increase in the water-fowl population of the United States during the past two years, and this increase, the government officials assert, is due almost entirely to the passage by Congress of the so-called migratory bird law. But even with this increase in the ranks of the mallard, the blue-winged teal, the canvasback, and the swan, the gross number of water-fowl to be found in the various states is estimated as not more than 10 per cent of those that existed before the extraordinary increase in recent years in rapid transportation facilities. For this reason a concerted movement has been put on foot by organizations representing sportsmen, farmers, conservationists, and stock breeders to have the provisions of the law extended in every possible way.

Further steps in the revision of its municipal program and model city charter, to keep pace with the rapid advances made in municipal government in the United States within a decade or more, are to be among the important features of the twenty-first annual meeting of the National Municipal League, to be held at Dayton, Ohio, about the middle of November. The league's program is based on the city manager plan of government. This league is composed largely of specialists from all parts of the United States who have made a study of various features of city government and administration, and who bring together and compare the results of their researches, both at the annual meetings of the league and in the pages of the National Municipal Review.

For the third time in the memory of court officials, a foreign jurist has just had the honor of sitting with the Supreme Court of the United States. The visitor was Baron Reading, lord chief justice of England. When court convened for the afternoon, Baron Reading walked in with Chief Justice White, who ushered him to a seat at his right on the bench. For an hour and a half the head of the English law courts listened to arguments on the constitutionality of the North Dakota tax on express receipts. So far as is recalled, the distinction has been accorded only twice before,—to Lord Coleridge, lord chief justice of England, in 1833, and Lord Herschell, British lord high chancellor, in 1899.

Production of commercial mineral potash, for which in the past Americans have spent millions of dollars abroad annually, is announced by Secretary Lane of the interior department of the United States. A report has just reached the department from a special agent of the geological survey telling how by a simple process potash had been produced from alunite found in a great vein in Piute County, Utah. As alunite is known to exist in large quantities in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California, and Arizona, Mr. Lane believes that the discovery assures the country of an adequate supply of potash for agricultural purposes and for use in the manufacture of explosives.

Cuba stopped the teaching of English in its public schools because under the methods in use the children were failing to learn properly. The government intends to resume the teaching as soon as a more efficacious method can be devised. "The administration," says the Cuban minister to the United States, "realizes the great value of a knowledge of the language of the United States to Cubans, and its policy is to encourage the study of it in every practicable way." The government, he added, had been reluctant to take this study out of the schools. The courses were maintained at great expense, in the country districts as well as in the cities.

Announcement of a "Metropolitan City Planning Exhibition for City and Town Advance," has been made by the Council of Fifty, composed of representatives of "civic and social organizations interested in an adequate and practical plan for the development of the Boston district." The exhibition is to be held for ten days, beginning Nov. 12, in the State House at Boston. The main effort of the council now contemplated is a campaign of education that will inform the public as well as officials what is meant by city planning, and why a plan is a fundamental necessity to the welfare, or even the wise government, of the metropolitan Boston district.

The new Masonic Temple, headquarters of the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Freemasonry for the southern jurisdiction of the United States, costing $2,000,000, was dedicated at Washington, Oct. 18, with elaborate ceremonies and in the presence of a large assemblage of Masons from many parts of the country. The structure is fashioned after the mausoleum erected for King Mausolus by Queen Artemisia at Halicarnassus, Asia Minor,—one of the seven wonders of the ancient world,—is unique among the many magnificent buildings in the national capital. It has been under construction since 1911, when ground was broken.

The first important Government suit under the Clayton antitrust act was begun last week by Attorney-General Gregory against the United Shoe Machinery Company. The petition filed in the Federal district court charged the shoe company with unlawful practices that substantially lessen competition and tend to monopoly. Permanent injunctions are sought. This suit is the third action brought against the company in the last few years. Suit to dissolve the corporation under the Sherman law is now pending in the Supreme Court, and suit under the criminal provisions of the same statute is still pending against some of the officers and directors.

Formal recognition by the United States of the de facto Government of Mexico, with Gen. Venustiano Carranza as chief executive, was accomplished at noon, Oct. 19, by the delivery to General Carranza's representative, Ellseo Arredondo, at the Mexican embassy at Washington, of a letter from Secretary Lansing. Recognition letters from the Pan-American conferees, similar in tone, were also received by Mr. Arredondo. Up to noon letters of recognition had been delivered by the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, and Colombia. The ministers from Guatemala and Bolivia delivered their letters in person.

The harvests of the United States this year will be the most valuable ever produced. With the wheat crop exceeding a billion bushels, the largest ever produced in one season by any country, and a corn crop which may prove to be the largest ever known, the Government's October crop report announces preliminary estimates which indicate record harvests of oats, barley, rye sweet potatoes, rice, tobacco, and hay.

Announcement of the formation of a new corporation, capitalized at $100,000,000, and to be known as the "Association of Sisal Hemp Producers," is made by a Mexican committee identified with the new powers in control in Mexico. The principle of the new organization is the same as that of the California Fruit Growers' Association.

It is estimated that the valuation of the flats around Boston harbor now lying partly under water and gradually being filled in under the supervision of the directors of the port, will be more than thirty-three million dollars, and this great future asset of state lands will be so developed in the mean time as not to increase the state debt.

Fifty tons of coal-tar dyes from Germany, consigned to Secretary of Commerce Redfield, arrived at New York a few days ago from England on board the steamship St. Louis. The dyes, coming in under a British government permit, are for the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers.

A detailed study of the Menam Valley, Siam, for the purposes of water control and irrigation, has been made. The estimated cost of giving effect to the various portions of the design is about £1,750,000.

Next year the United States Government will spend more money on Indians and less on irrigation than was spent last year, according to a statement by Secretary of the Interior Lane.

President Wilson on the 13th inst. laid the corner-stone of the memorial amphitheater at Arlington, Va., which is to cost $750,000.