25 C.. Tibbals. Hays, G. P. (267), Every-Day Reasoning, $1.50.. Claxton. Healy, M. (265), Storm Driven, $1......... Lippincott. Hent's (265) Forms and Use of Blanks, rev. by J. C. Bates, shp., $6.50..... ..Bancroft. Hering, C. (266), Condensed Materia Medica, hf. mor., $8. Heritage of Langdale. See Alexander, Mrs. fos. Hodgson. Homer's (265) Odyssey, ed. by Merry and Riddell, v. 1, $6.50. Macmillan. Hooker, W. (267), First Bk. in Chemistry, rev. ed. 65 c. Harper. Horton, S. D. (265), Silver and Gold, $1.50.......Clarke. Macmillan. Ingram, J. S. (265), Centennial Exposition Described, etc., $2.50 to $7. Hubbard Bros. Insects, Half Hours with. See Packard, Jr., A. S. Irving, W. (267) Rip Van Winkle in French, School ed., Jewish Church, Hist. of. See Stanley, A. P. Johnson, R. See Condensed Classics. Macmillan. Lanier, S. (266), Florida Guide Bk., stiff, $1.Lippincott. Lavaleye, E. de (265), Bi-Metallic Money, pap., 30 c. Bankers Mag. Off. Lees, W. See Putnam's Adv. Sc. Series. Lobb, John. See Moody, D. L. Loftie, W. J. See Art at Home Series. Los (267) Angeles Co., Cal., Hist. Sketch of, pap., 25 c. Life and Letters, See Trevelyan, G. O. McClelland, M. A. (264), Civil Malpractice, $5; shp., $6. Hurd & H. Macleod, D. (266), Memoir of Norman Macleod, 2 v. in 1, $2.50.... Madame. See Benedict, F. L. ...Scribner. Majolica and Fayence. See Beckwith, A. Martineau, H. (265), Hist. of England, 4 vols., $4, $6, Putnam. Massachusetts (267) Hist. Soc. Coll., v. 2 and 3, Belknap Papers, 2 v., ea., $2.50...... ..Mass. Hist. Soc. Merry and Riddell. See Homer. Meyer, F. J. (264) and W. Wernigh, Steam Towing, $2. See also Morrow, A. C. Murray, J. O'K. (267), Pop. Hist. of Cath. Ch. in U. S., Bancroft. Bardeen. New York City Charities. See Handbook. - Daily Tribune. See Tribune. - (265) State Constitution, 25 c... Nixdorff, G. A. (265), Scenes in Life of Christ, go c. Nisbet, E. (267), Resurrection of the Body, $1. Authors' Pub. Co. Luth. Pub. Soc. Offenbach, J. (265), Offenbach in Am., $1.50... Carleton. Holt. On (265) the Edge of the Storm, $1.25. Papacy and Civil Power. See Thompson, R. W. Statesman's Year Book. See Martin, F. See Text Book on. Baird. Taylor, W. M. (264), Lost Found and Wanderer Welcomed, cheaper ed., $1....... .Scribner. Texas (264) Sup. Ct. Rep., 1849 and 1851, v. 4 and 5, Sayles', ea., shp., $7.50.. Cushing. (264) Sup. Ct. Rep., v. 44, 1875-6, Terrell & Walker's, shp., $7.50. Cushing. Van Nostrand. Thomas, A. C. (266), Law of Mortgages in N. Y., shp., $6. ..Baker, V. & Co. Thompson, J. (267), Text Book for Students in Naval Hist., pap., 40 C.... ....... Shillington. Thompson, R. W. (264), Papacy and the Civil Power, $3. Harper. Text Book (267) on Surveying Projections, etc., $2. Transfer of Erin. See Amory, T. C. Poe, E. A. (264), Life and Poems, Memoir by E. L. Didier, Trevelyan, G. O. (264), Life, etc., of Macaulay, pop. ed., $1.50.. Poker, Draw. See Euchre. Widdleton. Putnam's (265) Adv. Sc. Series, Lees' Acoustics, Light, Railroad Excavation, etc. See Davis, J. W. Reformed Dutch Church. See Centennial. Resurrection of the Body. See Nisbet, E. Putnam. Romeo (266) and Juliet, A Travesty on, pap., 50 c. Ruling Ideas in Early Ages. See Mozley, J. B. — (265) Same, vol. 2, $4..... Roger de Coverley, $1.... Hale. See Hanson, J. W. See Bender, C. Blue Book. See Disturnell, J. Universal Salvation, Bible Proofs of. Van Nostrand's Sc. Series, No. 26. Vaughan, C. J. (265), Forget Thine own People, $1. — (265) Heroes of Faith, $1.75.. Macmillan. ...Macmillan. Washburn, F. (266), Soul Thirst, $1... Weavers and Weft. See Braddon, Miss. Putnam. Select (265) British Essayists, ed. by J. Habberton, Sir Wheelwright, W., Life, etc., of. See Alberdi, J. B. Putnam. Silver and Gold. See Horton, S. D. Skeat, W. W. (265), Engl. Words compared with Icelandic, рар., 75 с Macmillan. Smith, F. W. (265), Young in our Churches, pap.. 5 c. Am. Bap. Pub. Soc. Solidity of True Religion. See Vaughan, C. J. Song (265) Victcries (corr. title), 75 c.; bds., 50 c. Lothrop. Soul Thirst. See Washburn, F. South Africa, Letters from. See Barker, Lady. Spectator. See Select British Essayists. Whist. See Campbell-Walker, A. White, F. J. See Seguin, E. C. White, F. T. (266) and O. D. Tudor, Leading Cases in Williamson, A. W. See Science Lectures. Wright, C. (265), Philosophical Discussions, $3.50.. Holt. Year Book. See American Baptist; Martin, F. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS. RESOLVED, That this Convention recognize the PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY as the established organ of the entire trade, and recommend it to publishers as the medium through which they should make their "first announcement" of books they propose to publish, and the full title of all books immediately on publication.-AMERICAN BOOK-TRADE ASSOCIATION. By One Hundred Choice Selections, No. 13. Phineas Garrett. 12°, pp. 180. 75 c. pap., 30 c. (March 20.) KAY & BROTHER, Philadelphia. A Treatise on the Law and Practice as to Receivers appointed by the Court of Chancery. By William Williamson Kerr, of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-at-Law. With American Notes. By G. Tucker Bispham, Esq. Second ed. 8°. Smith's Reports, Vol. XXX. Being Vol. LXXX. Pennsylvania State Reports. 8°. Morris on the Law of Replevin. Third ed. 8°. Bispham on the Law of Notice. Williams on Executors and Administrators. By Edward Vaughan Williams. Sixth Am. ed. By J. C. Perkins, LL.D. 3 vols. 8°. A Talk on Art. By S. G. W. Benjamin. Cr. 8°. The Gospel Invitation. Sermons by Twenty of the Leading Clergymen of Boston and Vicinity, of all of the principal Denominations, having special Reference to the Revival Movement of 1877. 12°. LOVELL, ADAM, WESSON & CO., New York. Domestic Exposures. By W. L. Alden. JAS. R. OSGOOD & CO., Boston. Monday Lectures: Biology. By Rev. Joseph Cook. SCRIBNER, ARMSTRONG & CO., New York. Lombard Street. A Description of the Money Market. By Walter Bagehot. New ed. 12°. Price reduced to $1.25. (March, early.) The Roman Triumvirates. By Charles Merivale, D.D., Dean of Ely. In "Epochs of Ancient History' Series. With map. 16°. $1. (March, early.) The Life and Writings of St. John. By James M. Macdonald, D.D., Princeton, N. J. Edited, with an Introduction, by the Very Rev. J. S. Howson, D.D., Dean of Chester. With 33 illustr. and 2 maps. 8°. $5. (March, early.) History of the Church of Christ, in Chronological Tables. By Henry B. Smith, D.D., late Professor in Union Theological Seminary. New ed. Folio. Price reduced to $5. (March.) S. R. WELLS & CO., New York. How to Raise Fruits; or, Fruit Culture for the Million. A Handbook of Fruit Culture. Being a Guide to the Cultivation and Management of Fruit Trees, including Grapes and small Fruits, with condensed Descriptions of many of the best and most popular varieties. With many illustr. By Thomas Gregg. $1. (Nearly ready.) How to Teach according to Temperament and Mental Development; or, Phrenology in the School-Room and the Family. By Nelson Sizer. $1.50. (Nearly ready.) was rescinded. A committee was appointed, with Mr. Emerson, of Harper & Bros., as chairman, to consider a proposed new basis of prices; it is to report fully at the June meeting. The Publishers' Weekly. MARCH 3, 1877. PUBLISHERS are requested to furnish title-page proofs and advance information of books forthcoming, both for entry in the lists and for descriptive mention. An early copy of each book published should be forwarded, to insure correctness in the final entry. The trade are invited to send "Communications" to the editor on any topic of interest to the trade, and as to which an interchange of opinion is desirable. Also, matter for "Notes and Queries." Notes from librarians will also be gratefully received. In case of business changes, notification or card should be immediately sent to this office for entry under "Business Notes." New catalogues issued will also be mentioned when forwarded. THE BOARDS OF TRADE. THE Publishers' and the Stationers' Boards of Trade have both been brought into much prominence lately, the former because of the general discussion of the school-book question brought out by current legislation, and the latter for its success in dealing with recent bankruptcy cases. There seems to be a general misunderstanding of the nature and function of these boards, certainly among the public, possibly among many in the trade, and a brief review of their origin and purposes, which are quite different in the two cases, may therefore be of use. The School-book Publishers' Board of Trade, as its title should really read, is in no way, as the public are apt mistakenly to suppose, a "ring" or combination to keep up retail prices. There is nothing in its constitution, by-laws, or other articles to restrain any publisher from reducing his retail prices how and to what extent he individually pleases; the only provision in this respect is that he shall notify the other publishers what those prices are. This is proved by the fact that since the organization of the board prices have been reduced here and there under the pressure of the times and of competition just as they were before. What the board does touch is the matter of discounts; and this so far has been its one field. It was started to remedy the evils of the agency system, whose extravagance and resulting corruption were alike detrimental to publishers' pockets and to public morals. When the Board of Trade was organized, the agents and their cononsequences must have been costing the publishers and the public between two and three millions a year-and this was not the worst of it. By forcing unnecessary introductions," they compelled changes so frequent as to seriously 66 interfere with the education of the children; all sorts of means were used to corrupt teachers and school officers into permitting these introductions; politicians utterly ignorant of school needs went into school boards on the make;" and publishers, feverish to introduce their books at any cost, were swindled by sharp directors and virtually by the agents themselves. Some schools, on the pretext of exchange, got their books chronically for nothing; and those not The business "so sharp" had to pay the more. was falling into utter demoralization. In selfdefence the Board of Trade was organized, and the publishers, in protecting their own interests, began to protect those of the public also. Corruption or the use of "considerations" of any sort were forbidden, under penalty, to all members of the board, which included all the leading houses, and limits were set-not to retail prices-but to exchange, introduction, and wholesale rates, and to the number and use of agents. The result was excellent from the start the reduction of agency expenses was at least one half, retail prices were in some cases reduced, and the reduction would have been more general but that the public demanded that more and more money should be spent in the illustration and make-up of school-books. In a word, the board turned illegitimate competition into legitimate competition, and the only regret is that it has not yet gone farther and restricted the agency system still more. The Stationers' Board of Trade, at first chiefly a commercial speculation in the way of a joint salesroom, is now an organization of quite another sort, and on solid ground. It is intended to include all manufacturing, importing, and jobbing stationers, and deals with all commercial matters in which the trade is jointly interested. So far its most important work has been in dealing with bankruptcy cases, and its success is best shown by the fact that it has secured from one bankrupt an advance of one hundred and fifty per cent (30 cents to 75 cents) on his offer of compromise,-a practical saving of expense that has convinced thirty or forty more houses that organization pays. The result through the trade will not be less satisfactory, for it tends to put a stop to the illegitimate competitions of "bankruptcy stocks" at ten cents on the dollar, against which honest business cannot stand. Ir is not creditable to the publishers that a board of their own had not already been organized to take this stand; as it is, they should not be backward in their gratitude to their more wide-awake brethren, the stationers. These two boards, it will thus be seen, have been not only of good to their members, but have served public as well as private ends. The school book board, it may be added, has under consideration a new system of rates, on which we cannot now express our opinion, but which is likely to induce, not an increase, but a reduction of retail prices, and will, let us hope, work out good results to the general trade. We can only express our wish that it may continue its good work in the educational field, and that a still wider board of publishers may be organized to co-operate in the good work of the Stationers' Board. THE PRIZE QUESTION ON POEMS. THE plan of our prize questions awakened so much interest in the trade last year, that we had reason to hope they might become a permanent feature, and we were correspondingly disappointed at the beginning of the year to find that there were so few answers to the later prize questions. A few additional replies to No. 14 have been received, but the interest of those who might be expected to contribute seems to have lapsed, and there is little encouragement to continue the plan except when special occasion presents itself. It is worth noting that those questions which have required actual writing in place of the compilation of titles have received but very few replies-a fact which does not speak well for the literary status of the younger members of the trade. The prize lists have been generally acknowledged a useful trade help, both from the commercial and educational point of view, and we regret that contributors' interest has flagged so soon. To Prize Question No. 14, "Which are the most salable poems?" nineteen answers have been received. The question was limited to individual poems published separately. The following is the result: LIST BY POPULAR VOTE. Osgood. 18 1. Meredith, Owen, Lucile, 18°, $1.. Scribner. 14 Coleridge, S. T., The Ancient Mariner. Drake, J. R., The Culprit Fay, Sm. 4°, $2. Carleton. 4 3, Dante, translated by Longfellow; Goethe's Faust, trans- 2, Adams' Nearer, my God, to Thee; Bailey's Festus; The highest possible count, as above shown, is 112; the prize is won by two contributors, Mr. Samuel R. Burgess, with Shorb & Boland, St. Louis, and Mr. Chas. E. Butler, with J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, each counting 106, and it is therefore divided between the two. The third is Mr. John Dickison, with Robert Clarke & Co., Cincinnati, counting 105; there is again a tie on the fourth list, Mr. George M. Millard, with Jansen, McClurg & Co., Chicago, and Mr. Jas. O. Somers, with Randall & Co., Columbus, Ohio, each counting 102; Mr. W. S. Parker's, with the Saint Louis Book and News Co., is the other list above 100, standing sixth with a count of IOI. The lowest count was 49. It is curious that of these highest six, all but one are from the Western cities. The booksellers at the East should look to their laurels. A NEW System for designating the sizes of books has been submitted for criticism by the Committee of the American Library Association. The full particulars are given in the Library Journal for January 31st. It proposes to retain the present symbols to designate the actual fold, while for ordinary descriptive purposes, such as the publishers' and booksellers', capital letters are to be used on the following plan: The size is to be obtained from actual outside height, all books within 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) high to be counted 32mos and designated T; those between this and 15 cm., 16mos, S; under 20 cm., duodecimos, D; under 25 cm., octavos, O; under 30 cm., quartos, Q; under 40 cm., folios, F; while still larger books are designated as F5, F6, etc., according as they are within 50, 60, and other tens of centimeters. If the width is four fifths the height or more, the letters sq. (square) are to be prefixed; if the width is greater than the height, ob. (oblong). These measurements approximate closely to present sizings, so near as they can be (16°, $1.25, 3; Vest Pocket, 3. Osgood) 6 calculated, with the exception that most of the 4. Scott, Sir W., Lady of the Lake. (Hurd & H., 9; Leavitt, 1; Appleton, 1; Miller, 1; Osgood. 1) 5. Moore, T., Lalla Rookh, 16°, $1.25. 13 (Hurd & H., 10; Leavitt, 1; Osgood, 1) 12 6. Browning, Mrs. E. B., Aurora Leigh, 16°, $1.25. 6. Milton, Paradise Lost, 16°, $1.25. Miller. 10 (Hurd & H., 8; Clark & M., 1; Claxton, 1) 10 8. Longfellow, H. W., The Hanging of the Crane. (16°, $1.50, 4; Ill., $5, 4. Osgood) 8 9. Bickersteth, E. H., Yesterday, To-day, and Forever. 16°, $1.25 10. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. 10. Longfellow, H. W., Evangeline. 10. Tennyson, A., Enoch Arden. ....Carter. 7 (Osgood, 5; Bohn, 1) 6 (16°, $1.25, 5; Vest Pocket, 1) 6 10. Whittier, J. G., Mabel Martin. ($1.25, 3; Vest Pocket, 2; 8°, $5, 1. Osgood) 6 10. Whittier, J. G., Snow Bound. books we know as 16mos would be designated D. The criticisms and suggestions of booksellers are invited on this plan to obviate the present discrepancies. |