212 
the possible scope of these operations. 
Similar comparisons ofinformation concern- 
ing the composition of the various fuels of 
the United States are urgently required, 
and it is proposed to undertake them. 
Hydrographic Branch.—The Hydrographic 
Branch of the Geological Survey devotes its 
energies mainly to the measurement of the 
volume of streams, chiefly in mountain- 
ous regions. About three-fourths of the 
stations maintained are west of the 97th 
meridian, a greater portion of the remain- 
der being in the Appalachian Mountains. 
In addition to the work of stream measure- 
ments systematic information regarding the 
methods and results of the utilization of the 
water supply of the country is being ob- 
tained from all sources where it can be 
found in the hands of individuals and cor- 
porations and published in a series of 
‘Water Supply and Irrigation Papers.’ 
Geological examinations of the artesian 
districts of the Dakotas and of Texas are 
also in progress, and various problems of a 
scientific nature are under investigation. 
In connection with stream measurements 
the attempt is being made to measure 
carefully the slope of streams and to de- 
scribe their regimen, in order to obtain ad- 
ditional information regarding the proper 
coefficients of friction to be used in hydro- 
graphic formule. The movements of 
underground waters are being observed by 
means of wells and other available sources 
of information, this work being chiefly done 
‘in the Great Plains region and the valleys 
of California. Where possible, existing in- 
formation regarding artesian and surface 
wells is being obtained and tabulated. 
The branch being charged by law with 
the examination and segregation of reser- 
voir sites, those which come within the 
studies pursued are surveyed and segre- 
gated from private entry under the home- 
stead and desert land laws, in order to pre- 
vent the vestment and growth of private 
SCIENCE. 
[N. 8S. Von. X. No. 242. 
interests which might in future be an ob- 
stacle to the best utilization of such sites. 
Forestry Investigations.—The agitation for 
the preservation of the remaining forests of 
the United States resulted in the establish- 
ment of two distinct classes of work, both 
having reference to the forests. The one 
might be comprehensively described as a 
forest survey, its purpose being to obtain 
maps of the forested areas throughout the 
country and to set forth the present condi- 
tion and future prospects of the forest re- 
serves. The other relates to the adminis- 
tration of the established forest reserves, 
involving the appointment and supervision 
of numbers of rangers whose duty it is to 
prevent fires and depredations and to 
see that the laws governing the reserves 
are enforced. 
The forest survey is in charge of the Di- 
rector of the Geological Survey, and is 
under the immediate management of Mr. 
Gannett, except in so faras the topographic 
work, which supplies the base maps, is 
executed by the divisions of the Topographic 
Branch. It is carried out in cooperation 
with similar investigations conducted by 
the Forestry Division of the Agricultural 
Department under Mr. Gifford Pinchot. 
With the energy and capacity for broad 
generalizations which characterize his 
work, Mr. Gannett has caused the prin- 
cipal forest areas of the country to be in- 
vestigated, and some part of the results is 
already published. They constitute Vol- 
ume JV. of the 19th Annual, and the fifth vol- 
ume of the 20th Annual will also be com- 
posed entirely of papers relating to forests. 
Publications Branch.—Standards of scien- 
tifie and literary character were established 
for the textual publications of the Geolog- 
ical Survey early in its history. Their 
present style is in large measure due to the 
efficient work of the editor and his assist- 
ants. The magnitude of the labors of this 
branch can best be suggested by a state- 
