WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN 113 



tion of the mammals, birds and insects, trees, wild flowers and 

 grasses, all properly mounted and described. 



It is well known that the Surveys of our neighboring states 

 have published educational Bulletins concerning the animal and 

 plant life of their respective areas. No one questions the value 

 of such publications, nor doubts the propriety of extensive appro- 

 priations made for such purposes. The people of our state not 

 only need, but are frequently requesting this information, and they 

 should have it. 



2. The services of a competent person for the entire year 

 should be retained to do field and museum work. Specimens col- 

 lected during the summer should be prepared, classified, labeled 

 and properly mounted as quickly as possible. In addition to the 

 collections made during the regular field trips, the Survey secures 

 a large number of specimens during the winter months, which 

 should demand immediate attention; Without such an assistant, 

 individual and entire collections are stored away in boxes for 

 months and at times for years. The work of Wm. H. Over the 

 past year has been exceptionally helpful. 



3. In a prairie country like South Dakota, the supply of 

 building material is always a most interesting problem. Our state 

 is rich in clay, cement and building stones. The exceptional var- 

 ieties of clays found, especially in the western part of the state, 

 should be carefully investigated with reference to the manufac- 

 turing of brick as well as to tile and pottery possibilities. If 

 properly studied the almost natural cement character of extensive 

 beds of clay west of the Missouri River, might become of great 

 economic value to the settlers. 



4. Few problems now before the people of South Dakota 

 can be of more vital interest than the one of fuel supply. As yet 

 we have no oil, and but little natural gas, used for economic pur- 

 poses. Our extensive Forest Reserves, with the limited amount of 

 timber, is inaccessable to most of our population. 'The people of 

 the state spend annually for fuel, millions of dollars more than the 

 entire yearly gross output of the Homestake and all other mines, 

 and all of our cement plants, brick yards and stone quarries. It 

 is not certain as yet whether we have oil in usable quantities 

 beneath the surface, nor do we know if we have an extensive field 

 of gas which we may draw upon for fuel. These should be 

 Sig. 8. 



