PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY. 97 



their classification according to some rational and comprehensive 

 scheme. Geographical descriptions now current are very defect- 

 ive in the latter respect. They are for the most part empirical ; 

 and like empirical descriptions generally, they are short-sighted 

 or blind. One of the difficulties in the way of improvement lies 

 in the need of geological data ; for without sufficient information 

 as to geological structure and history, no satisfactory geo- 

 graphical description can be written. It might from this be 

 inferred that, where the geology of a region had been deciphered, 

 the geologist could give an account of its geography as well ; but 

 judging by the existing condition of these two branches of earth- 

 science, such is not the case. A great part of the facts that are 

 essential to the geologist are not needed by the geographer. 

 Many considerations that are important to the geographer receive 

 little attention from the geologist. Each is fully occupied in his 

 own special field. Advance in the study of areal geography, 

 therefore, calls first for proficiency in systematic geography, next 

 for a knowledge of general geology and of the local geology 

 of the region to be studied, and finally a special geographical 

 examination of the region. With such a preparation, a course 

 might be planned on the physical geography of Europe, or of 

 the United States ; and either course might occupy half a year 

 or a year very profitably. Most of the examples already intro- 

 duced in the elementary systematic course would here be found 

 again, and many others with them, until the whole area of the 

 country was covered. 



Geographical investigation by the state surveys. — The chief diffi- 

 culty in planning such a course is the scarcity of good geo- 

 graphical material ; but, on the other hand, one of the chief inter- 

 ests in geography comes from the opportunities that it offers for 

 new investigations. When we inquire into the generally impov- 

 erished condition of geographical teaching in our schools, the 

 main difficulty is undoubtedly to be found in the deficiencyjof 

 good geographical literature, both in text books and in collateral 

 reading, ready for teachers' use. Consider the case of Ohio, for 

 example. Where shall the inquiring teacher in that state turn 



