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two receive anv degree of recognition — the physical, and the 

 human. To the latter, which regards the scope of geography 

 to be the study of the intiuence of environment on tlie life of 

 man, and his reaction on that environment, belong more than 

 a half of the world's geographers. 



1'here is an idea abroad that the geographer is an authority 

 upon most stibjects, and is fairly conversant with all. De- 

 signate astronomy " astronomical geography," call surveying 

 " practical geography," and he is frecjuently expected to be able 

 to solve the numerous pri)])lems whicli confront ex])erts in these 

 branches of knowledge. 



It is only natural to expect that teachers of geograph}' who 

 have approached the subject through the avenues of other 

 sciences will be biassed in their treatment of it. If geologists, 

 then ])liysical geography will attract them; if economists, com- 

 mercial geography; but, although a general training in geology, 

 meteorology, anthropology, etc., is essential to the understand- 

 ing of many problems in geograph}' proper, it is as unreasonable 

 to expect the student of geography to possess a thorough know- 

 ledge of these sciences as it is to imagine that the doctor who 

 employs the results of geogra|>hical inc|uiry in order to hnd suit- 

 able climates for his inx'alids, is a trained geographer. 



Some consider as essential a knowledge of survexing, 

 which they name "practical geography"; but if the word 

 " practical " is intended to convey a meaning similar to that in 

 the case of "practical botany" it is a misnomer. Obviously, it 

 is not possible for the geographer to l)ring his material into the 

 'laboratorv ; in most cases it is not convenient for him to make 

 personal observations in all parts of the globe, hence there arises 

 the necessity for a notation ; but all that can be said in favour of 

 the absolute necessity of an intimate knowledge of the making of 

 maps is, that in the case of a geographer exploring unaccompanied 

 by a survevor, it is indispensable. In these days, however, 

 wherever work of real im])ortance is being carried on, such cir- 

 cttmstances are practically non-existent. The relation of sur- 

 veying h) geography is much the same as a knowledge of printing 

 scores is to the interpretation of mtisic. Tt wotild appear, then, 

 that the term " ])ractical geography " should be applied only in 

 the case of actual investigation " in the field." The world is the 

 laboratory, and man, in his environment, the material. 



The geologist concerns himself with the past history of land 

 forms, while the geographer deals W'ith their present state of 

 devdoiMuent. treats them as the home of i)lant, animal, and man, 

 and notes the influence of configuration, minerals, etc.. on the 

 distribution of pojndation, industries, commerce, and trade 

 routes. 



The geographer need not trespass on the realms of the 

 ])hysicist or the meteorologist in order to explain exhaustively 

 the varior:S factor^ determining climate. The question he nuT^t 



