38 



province, of which there are more than thirty, to take in charge 

 the immensely important educational side of the problem, es- 

 pecially from the standpoint of the agricultural possibilities. No 

 stereotyped problem here, nor meager compensation therewith! 



The opportunities for amateur work in connection with the 

 academy should, perhaps, receive a word of comment. Apart 

 from its large educational function, I take it that the contributory 

 work of the academy will confine itself, in the main, within state 

 boundaries. With such. limitation, and assuming the co-operation 

 of a considerable and favorably distributed number of persons, 

 an ecologically annotated geographic catalogue is perhaps the 

 first task which suggests itself. Such work for such an organi- 

 zation has the peculiar virtue of simplicity in its individual parts, 

 absolute necessity for extensve co-operation, and the very large 

 value of the final symposium. The humblest sharer in the work 

 may be thoroughly satisfied that his part is quite as important as 

 almost any other' part. 



Of intensive area work in ecology, Cowles's work on the dunes 

 and Glcason's quite recent study of sand-flat areas of the Illi- 

 nois river forcefully suggest the considerable number of simi- 

 lar, yet untouched and equally attractive, problems within the 

 state. 



The native prairie plants, made historic by their striking floral 

 aspects alone, remain undisturbed in but few and restricted areas. 

 The salvation of a strip of native prairie large enough to reveal 

 the original ecological factors may be already impracticable, but 

 the academy may well have in mind the establishment of a state 

 garden of the native plants. 



Fresh acres in garden and field will be given each year to 

 the new experiments in plant breeding, and here, too, the ama- 

 teur may well lend a hand, though our agronomical friends may 



