It is a great pity that only those who invent in mechanical affairs, can profit by a patent right. There are numerous valuable ideas that the world gets hold of, that are just as worthy of recognition from society, but which the world gets and gives nothing lor. So far as new fruits are concerned, for instance, the matter has often been ventilated in our columns. No one denies that the discoverer of a good fruit or flower should be well rewarded. Every one knows that too often he gets nothing at all. The difficulty is to find a way by which his right to it should be effectually secured. It is perhaps this want of power to reward, which leads to what often appears to be innocent humbug. A man by careful experiment finds that a certain species of grass is the very best for lawns. If he gives the name of the grass, it is simply worth so much in market, no more. He can get nothing for the good application of the grass, which is the chief value. But why should he not? So he takes another harmless grass, and mixes with the good one, and advertises his "mixture" as the best lawn grass. For this he can get a double price, and he is paid for his idea as well as the actual value of the grass seed.

It seems like a fraud, and even Barnum would call it humbug, but the man consoles his conscience by the fact that he is only protecting himself from a public which would certainly take the result of his brain work for nothing if it could. We must leave all this to moralists. The mere reference to it at all comes from a letter from Mr. T. Bennett, of Trenton N.J. He states that he has, and from an excellent paper before us, we believe that he has, made some very useful discoveries in regard to the destruction of insects. He ought certainly to be very well rewarded for his discoveries, but just how it should be done is a question. Some one suggested that he should apply to the Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Loring replies that there has been no specific appropriation from congress for such purposes. It seems a dampening sort of a reply; but Dr. L. could say nothing more.

Perhaps the day may come when congress may establish a fund for rewarding those who make valuable discoveries which cannot be patented, but of which the public gets the benefit. This fund applied under the control of a judicious board of commissioners, would be a very handsome example for America to set.