May 20, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



781 



lath. The United States Geological Sur- 

 vey estimates the timber on the Lewis and 

 Clarke forest reserve at 2,664,360,000 feet, 

 board measure, and on all the reserves in 

 the state 14,974,800,000 feet of merchant- 

 able lumber. It is estimated that there are 

 912,000,000 feet on state lands, bringiag 

 the total estimate of merchantable timber 

 belonging to the state or government up 

 to 15,886,800,000 feet. This does not in- 

 clude timber on the Northern Pacific Rail- 

 road land nor on the land belonging to the 

 various mills. At the present rate of con- 

 sumption the timber on the state and gov- 

 ernment lands would satisfy the mills for 

 about seventy years. But the rate of con- 

 sumption is increasing very rapidly. 



An analysis of the industries which are 

 lacking or very small shows the following: 

 There are no zinc smelters in the state. 

 The industry in iron and steel is not yet 

 an integral part of the wealth of the state. 

 Notwithstanding the timber and grain in 

 the state there is not one pound of paper 

 manufactured in the state. There are 

 very few factories. The dairies are few 

 and do not begin to supply the demand for 

 butter. Montana produces 61 per cent, of 

 the copper of the United States, but not a 

 pound is converted into the finished pro- 

 duct. Although Montana has more sheep 

 than any other state in the union, it has 

 but one woolen mill in the state. 



If one wishes to make a study of the 

 geology of the state or its natural history 

 he has little to work on. Let the average 

 student attempt to find out what is known 

 relative to any section of the state, and he 

 will have much difficulty. A portion of it 

 has been covered by the work of the United 

 States Geological Survey; much of it has 

 not been studied. There is nothing ob- 

 tainable save extracts from reports relative 

 to the geology and natural history of the 

 state. Teachers, students, private individ- 

 uals alike must seek the libraries and cull 



from its numerous reports a small amount 

 of information. Let me illustrate. 



A student wishes to begin the study of 

 the butterflies of the state and desires lit- 

 erature to aid him. What must he do? 

 The eastern books cover the ground to the 

 Great Plains. The insects from the Rocky 

 Mountains are in great confusion. There 

 is nothing to be placed in the hands of the 

 student who wishes to work. He may se- 

 cure Edwards's books with colored plates 

 and full descriptions at $135. He may 

 secure Holland's book with colored plates 

 at $3. But without keys and full descrip- 

 tions he can do little. Moreover, the ma- 

 terial gathered from the state is very small, 

 and collections are few. The student is 

 beset at- once with difficulties when he un- 

 dertakes the worJi. His difficulties increase 

 with continuance of study, and there is no 

 help for him. The ^ame is true of the 

 study of fishes, birds, plants or mammals. 

 There is nothing that the student who has 

 not reached the plane where he can be 

 called specialist may have for aid, unless 

 he goes to the expense of books treating of 

 the entire country. Even these will fail 

 him often. 



The study of the state's resources must 

 be pursued with a twofold object in 

 view: (1) To encourage immigration, (2) 

 to enlighten the citizens of the state. We 

 must all agree with Mr. Ferguson in his 

 opening statement in his report as commis- 

 sioner of agriculture, labor and industry 

 for 1902, in which he says: "The magni- 

 tude and diversity of the natural history 

 resources of this great state, the opportuni- 

 ties for the acquisition of comfortable 

 homes and profitable investment are known 

 to comparatively few people outside of its 

 borders. It is clearly within the bounds 

 of propriety for the people of any com- 

 munity to determine accurate knowledge 

 of its advantages and invite immigra- 

 tion." We may as truthfully say that 



