(".RocRArifv. 329 



" active ' relation to liis natural environment. It is v,-ell to note 

 here that there is fre(jnentl\- a tendency (Ui the part of the oco- 

 .yrapher to attribute too nnicli to environmental control: in his 

 devotion to " determinism "" lie i'^ apt to neglect " free-will." 

 Besides, owing to uniA-ersal evolution and to man's own " con- 

 (juest of nature," environment is constantly varving. Man. like- 

 wise, is changing, and hence the conclusions of the geogra])her 

 must necessarily be of a temporary nature — thev applv onlv to 

 one particular time. As regards the future, they can only sug- 

 gest ])Ossil)le de\elo])mcnts. Let us attempt to indicate briefly 

 the future work of the geographer, making special reference to 

 South Africa. 



-Vs fcva iiicoi/iiita is now alnnjst un]<nown. the w(ir]< of the 

 cx])loring. or "practical geograjther," as he may be called, be- 

 comes every year more limited, but there is still need for him in 

 South America, and in isolated regions elsewhere. Meanwhile, 

 however, the eyes of the world are fixed on the vast continent 

 of the situth. Antarctica. l'erha])s the next great expedition 

 will thro^v ligbit on the bewitching problems of ])alteo-geogra])h3f ; 

 perhaps this lone-lard will pro^-e a store-house of mineral 

 wealth ; ])crha])s it will provide the Australian meteorologist with 

 the key to the understanding (if hih climatic conditions. 



In cartogra{)b\ . ma]is showing every type of geographical 

 distribution should be availal)lc. The great international map 

 \\ill make po sible the universal use of certain svmbols and modes 

 of spelling. There is scope for cartographical representation 

 of the distribution of soils, and of the actual and potential pro- 

 ductivity of agricultural districts. Mydrographical surveys 

 shoidd be easil\- availal)le, esjieciallN" in countries where water is 

 wealth. Maps showing the i)re>ent and pa.-^t distrilrutions of 

 forests and rainfall, and of drained land and malaria, will prob- 

 ablv receive more serious consideration; even statistics may 

 ])Ossess some charm if ]iresented in map form. 



The geologist nia\- hel]) 1)\ indicating the presence of valu- 

 able or useful minerals, and may lead through the avenues of 

 ])aleontolog}' to the worlds of the ])ast. 



Recent marine catastro])hes, even in the nictst fann'liar higli- 

 Mays of the sea. have revealed the fact that on every hand lurk 

 sources of danger which fleniau'I the further attention of the 

 cceanographer. 



AltlKiugh the meteorologist cannot alter the courses of 

 cyclones, he ma\ be able to •suggest new means of modifving. to 

 some extent, the re-^ults arising from local climatic conditions, 

 in order to make i)ossible the more com])lete Kuropeanisation of 

 tropical lands with their almost unlimited productive poten- 

 tialities. Here the burning '|ueslion seems to lx\ "Is South 

 .\frica drying up?" The preparation, distribution, and intelli- 

 gent interpretation of meteoroloeical charts are absolutelv essen- 

 tial for sale navigation. ])rofitable fishing, and thoroughlv sue- 



