PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 35 



different surveyors. In any case no one should commit the folly of fram- 

 ing a bill which would throw the burden of the planning of the work upon 

 the State Geologist. 



It may be asked "What should be the form of the reports of the survey, 

 and what matters should be treated therein?" The method of issuing the 

 reports of the Wisconsin survey seem to me admirable. The reports of 

 that State are divided into three series: (1) the economic series, (2) 

 the scientific, (3) the educational. The nature of the first two series will 

 be readily inferred, and I will speak in more detail of the educational 

 reports only. It would seem that the series should be introduced by a 

 volume descriptive of the general geology and natural history of the 

 State with an elucidation of the general principles of the formation of 

 rocks, soils and topography, and of the general principles of plant and 

 animal ecology. Following this general introductory volume, there 

 should be separate reports published for each county or district. These 

 reports should be guide books to the study of the region, and should con- 

 tain a map drawn on a scale not less than two miles to the inch, better 

 one mile to the inch. The map should show not only roads, rivers, sec- 

 tion lines, and towns, but the topography, the cultivated lands, the 

 distribution of plant and animal societies, and if possible, the soils. Such 

 maps have already been made successfully for the surveys in Scotland 

 and Yorkshire as already stated. There should be an accompanying text 

 written simply, so that all who wish to become acquainted with nature's 

 ways might understand. This text should treat of the geological his- 

 tory of the region ; of the scul]jturing of glaciers, of streams, and of 

 winds; of the climate, the soils, and of the plant and animal societies. 

 Anything of special interest in the region, in the topography, the natural 

 history, the mineral deposits, or vegetable deposits should receive special 

 attention and elucidation. The schools of the State and the people of 

 the State are beginning to ask for this information, and the State should 

 supply it. 



SUMMARY. 



The foregoing pages have spoken of three ways in which a survey may 

 be conducted: (1) it may be floristic and faunistic, or (2) it may be 

 a pursuit of special problems, or (3) it may be progressively ecological. 

 In this address the progressively ecological method has been advocated as 

 a basis, with means allowed for the study of special problems. The uses 

 of such a survey have been presented as 



1. Furnishing a means by which all lovers of outdoor life might the 

 better understand and enjoy the face of nature ; 



2. Furnishing to rural and city schools a guide to nature study; 



3. Classifying lands according to their agricultural value ; 



4. Locating the fish and game of the State, and laying the foundation 

 for the study of their habits, which would lead to their better preservation 

 and propagation ; 



5. Locating the peat and marl and other valuable surface deposits; 



6. Providing data for more general scientific studies ; 



7. Discovering problems for special attention and investigation. 



Six years ago Professor Spalding stood before you and in his presi- 

 dential address asked for the inauguration of a biological survey. At 



