IN considering the industries of this country we cannot but he impressed by the rapid increase which mining is undergoing, and we cannot fail to see how valuable and necessary a part of a practical education a thorough knowledge of Chemistry is destined in a few years to become. On this account it seems strange that Harvard, whose Chemistry department is wellnigh perfect, should neglect to provide for instruction in such an important branch as Practical Assaying. Perhaps the proximity of the Boston Institute of Technology has induced our Faculty to believe that any such course at Harvard was needless, but we are positive that there are many of us who would be glad to get some instruction in Assaying, but who do not care to go to a school where it would be necessary for us to become scientific specialists. For this reason it would, in our opinion, be a wise step on the part of the Faculty to add a course of this description to the electives in Chemistry, unless there be decided obstacles, unknown to us, to prevent such action.