the field has been extended to in- 

 clude Geology and Geography, Sani- 

 tary Science, Agriculture, and Politi- 

 cal Economy. 



Shortly after its inception the 

 Academy began to plan for a State 

 Natural History Survey, and, in 1905, 

 was granted an appropriation of one 

 thousand dollars 'by the legislature, 

 with which to carry on the work. 

 The investigation was to be made in 

 connection with the State Geological 

 Survey, and a "board of scientific ad- 

 visers" was appointed by Dr. Lane, 

 the State Geologist. Somewhat later 

 Dr. Ruthven, now curator of the mu- 

 seum, was made Chief Field Natural- 

 ist, and, under his direction, several 

 valuable reports were published. 



At the present time, Dr. New- 

 combe explained, the work can be 

 made a part of the Government Geo- 

 logical 'Survey; and appropriations, 

 both by the State and Federal Gov- 

 ernment, have been increased, until 

 for the present year, $20,000.00 are 

 available for the work. Of this sum, 

 Mr. Allen, now in charge of the work, 

 may use as much as he sees fit for 

 the State Natural History Survey. 



! Dr. Newcombe then went on to say 

 that Michigan is still far ibehind most 

 of the states that have 'been engaged 

 in such Natural History work, but 

 that the time is now ripe for a marked 

 increase in this 'branch of investi- 

 gation. The industrial era of the past 

 half century, he said, has reached 

 the height, and there is now a marked 

 tendency to return to those things 



pertaining to science and general cul- 

 ture. 



The difficulty is, and always has 

 been, to obtain money with which to 

 carry on the work. And in order to 

 obtain this money the impression 

 must be made upon the people of the 

 State of some kind of return, either 

 financial or educational. This im- 

 pression can best be made by dem- 

 onstrating the advantage of such 

 work to common-school education; 

 and the best means of making such 

 a demonstration is to incorporate in 

 the work of the common-school the 

 study of "regional 'bio-graphic 

 maps" foased on a Natural History 

 Survey. Such study would form a 

 suitable basis for work in Botany 

 and other Natural Sciences, and 

 would make a direct appeal to the 

 citizens of the state. 



In conclusion, Dr. Newcombe stat- 

 ed that such work would lead to the 

 discovery of new problems in science, 

 as, for instance, a study of forest 

 growth and disease; and the investi- 

 gation of these problems would aid 

 greatly in promoting the general 

 work of the Survey. 



Following Dr. Newcombe's talk, 

 the audience adjourned to the region 

 of the refreshments provided by 

 "Dick" and his bunch; and the re- 

 mainder of the evening was given to 

 selections by the double quartette, 

 and, at times, to displays of "har- 

 mony" by the entire crowd. 



GEO. W. WALSH. 



Talks Before the Foresty Club. 



After a short business meeting on 

 April 23, we had interesting talks 

 from 'Hamilton and Valiton. 



Hamilton talked on reconnaissance, 

 past, present, and future, and he 

 didn't seem to think much of the past 



