APPLIED GEOLOGY BKOOKS. 333 



which marks the percentage of total number of States supporting 

 geologic work (fig. 1). In 1886, 24 per cent of the States had geo- 

 logic surveys; in 1895 the percentage was 42, and in 1910, 80. 



Tliis growing public interest is also manuested by the increase in 

 geologic teaching at colleges and universities. I interpret the sta- 

 tistics published by Prof. T. C. Hopkins as indicatmg that in 1886 

 there were about 220 of the higher institutions of learnmg in wliich 

 geology was taught, while in 1894 there were 378. Of these, 51 had 

 geology organized as a separate department. I have been unable to 

 find any more recent data on geologic education, but that it has made 

 great strides in the last 17 years will be conceded by all. It wiU also 

 be generally admitted that the teaching of economic geology is receiv- 

 ing constantly greater attention in the colleges and technical schools. 

 More significant evidence of the present status of geology among the 

 people is the fact of the large number of geologists now in private 

 employment. There are many professional geologists who are 

 engaged in consultmg practice. Nearly every large miaing company 

 and many railways include m then- personnel one or more geologists. 

 In a commercial du*ectory of mining experts recently published fully 

 10 per cent classed themselves as geologists, while an edition of the 

 same du'ectory issued 10 years ago included only one who claimed to 

 be a geologist. While at that time, as now, many minmg engmeei's 

 were m fact professional geologists, they did not care to advertise the 

 fact. 



All this indicates that applied geology has during the last two 

 decades become a dominating element in our geologic work; also that 

 this tendency toward industrial problems pervades aU geologic inves- 

 tigations, whether under Federal, State, or private auspices. Further- 

 more, it has been made evident that this trend is not limited to the 

 North American Continent, but is world-wide. It is clear, also, that 

 since emphasis has been laid upon the economic side there has been a 

 marked increase in the support given to geologic work, from which 

 fact may be drawn the logical conclusion that the public indorses this 

 poHcy. It does not necessarily follow that tliis domuiating practical 

 note in geology has made for the advancement of the science. Before 

 discussing this important question it will be weU to trace briefly the 

 origin of geology as an applied science. 



It seems to be generally assumed that the application of geology 

 to industry was not attempted until after its development into 

 a more or less complete rational science. It can not be denied that 

 the application of the principles of a science must await the estab- 

 lishment of those principles through scientific inquu'ics. It is 

 true, however, that long before geology had developed as a science 

 men observed the geologic phenomena that bore on certain voca- 

 tions and often correctly interpreted such observations. 



