Investigations 21 



their own economic or sanitary problems. 3. Socie- 

 ties, academies, institutes, museums, etc., which 

 variously provide laboratory facilities or equip expedi- 

 tions or publish the results of investigations. 4. 

 Private individuals, who see the need of some special 

 investigation and devote their means to furthering it. 

 The Universities and private benefactors do most to 

 care for the researches in fundamental science. Fish 

 commissions and sanitary commissions support the 

 applied science. Governmental and incorporated insti- 

 tutions assist in various ways and divide the main work 

 of publishing the results of investigations. 



It is pioneer limnological work that these various 

 agencies are doing; as yet it is all new and uncorre- 

 cted. It is all done at the instance of some newly 

 discovered and pressing need. America has quickly 

 passed from being a wilderness into a state of highly 

 artificial culture. In its centers of population great 

 changes of circumstances have come about and new 

 needs have suddenly arisen. First was felt the failure 

 of the food supply which natural waters furnished; 

 and this lack led to the beginning of those limnological 

 enterprises that are related to scientific fish culture. 

 Next the supply of pure water for drinking failed in our 

 great cities; knowledge of water-borne diseases came 

 to the fore: knowledge of the agency of certain 

 aquatic insects as carriers of dread diseases came in; 

 and suddenly there began all those limnological enter- 

 prises that are connected with sanitation. Lastly, the 

 failure of clean pleasure grounds by the water-side, 

 and of wholesome places of recreation for the whole 

 people through the wastefulness of our past methods of 

 exploitation, through stream and lake despoiling, has 

 led to those broader limnological studies that have to 

 do with the conservation of our natural resources. 



