September 29, 1893.] 



SCIENCE. 



175 



rent is slackened by striking the ocean where a shoal is 

 forming. 



Since the formation of these marshes the beaches, by 

 the action of wind and wa-ve, have been moving inland. 

 Inlets are becoming shallower, and the beaches, in places, 

 have been completely blown from their original bed over 

 on to the marshes, so that the marsh mud is often ex- 

 posed on the ocean side. 



This accounts for the size which the trees attain in 

 these places. Many beaches support only a shrubby 

 vegetation, others are covered with beautiful forests of 

 trees of surprising size. Red cedar, holly, sassafras, oak, 

 liquid amber, sour gum, magnolia, sweetgale and grape 

 vines grow to be unusually large. Some of the finest 

 specimens of holly in existence may be found on several 

 of these beaches, and the red cedar which grows there is 

 more durable than that of the mainland. The size of 

 these trees is due to the fact that their roots have pene- 

 trated through the sand of the beach into the rich, black 

 mud of the marsh beneath. 



These forests are doomed. The wind picks up the fine 

 white sand of the beach and piles it in dunes. These are 

 often as high as the tree tops and are moving gradually 

 inland, leaving only a mass of dark gray trunks behind. 

 Unfortunately the trees themselves prevent the west and 

 and north winds from blowing back the sand. 



The fact that Jersey is slowly sinking complicates these • 

 changes. The marshes, in consequence, are intruding 

 upon the mainland. Even white cedars, which only grow 

 in pure fresh water, have been found buried in the 

 marsh. Little islands and Indian shell heaps are slowly 

 disappearing. 



In the formation of these marshes organic agencies 

 play an important part. An examination of the mud in 

 shallow bays and salt ponds shows enormous quantities of 

 beautiful diatoms. There, too, are many kinds of shells. 

 Other animals, especially those of the crab tribe, com- 

 pletely honeycomb the marsh in places. 



These meadows are very rich and valuable for farming. 

 When banked and sluiced, although they shrink, they 

 freshen and, after being worked for a time, yield enor- 

 mous crops. In several places in South Jersey they have 

 been converted into flourishing farms. In other places 

 up the rivers they have been abandoned because of the 

 muskrats which undermine the banks. 



These vast stretches of marsh are richly colored, and at 

 times, in places, are covered with white, pink and yellow 

 flowers. They are alive, in season, with wild migratory 

 water-fowl, infested with flies and mosquitoes and flecked 

 with the sails of boats moving in the creeks and bays. In 

 winter they are deserted and dreary, the monotony of 

 which is only broken by a hay or fish house here and 

 there or the remnants of a stranded schooner. 



The collecting of the hay which grows on the marshes 

 is one of the leading industries of that part of the state. 

 It is still, in many jDlaces, cut with the scythe and carried 

 on hand poles to large clumsy scows, which are rowed 

 with two long oars to the landings. 



There are 300,000 acres of marsh region in South Jer- 

 sey. At least one-twentieth of this is cut for hay. An 

 acre yields, without sowing or care, other than a little 

 ditching, at times, and burning once a year, at least one 

 and a half tons. The many creeks which bend in every 

 direction render it easy of access. It is worth at least six 

 dollars a ton. The' annual crop is worth then not a cent 

 less than $135,000. 



The marshes are often too soft for horses; in places 

 they are provided with wooden shoes, and many meadows 

 are hard enough for the use of machines. 



This hay is often baled and shipped away. -The greater 

 part is consumed at home. Poor qualities are used by 

 glass factories for packing purposes. 



The two plants of greatest value yielding hay on these 

 marshes are Spartina juncea or "salt-hay" and Juncus 

 gerardi or "black- grass." The one is a true grass, the 

 other a rush. The salt hay is light in color, .contains few 

 seeds, is cut late in summer and is fed to horses. The 

 black grass grows in brackish regions, is full of seeds, is 

 dark in color, is cut in mid-summer and is fed to cattle. 



If reclaimed on a very large scale, as in Louisiana, the 

 writer believes that these marshes may and will soon be 

 converted into flourishing farms. 



METHODS OP PEESENTING GEOLOGY IN OUR 

 SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.* 



BY MISS MARY E. HOLMES, PH.D., EOCKFOKD, ILL. 



Before offering any suggestions as to " methods " of 

 presenting this study, let us state a few axioms : 



First. Eor the successful study of any subject there 

 must be some foundation. 



Second. Comparatively few of our high school pupils 

 enter college. 



Third. The large majority of school age will not ad- 

 vance beyond the grammar grade. 



Fourth. The impressions earliest made are most endur- 

 ing. 



lifth. If we would make geology a life force, a life in- 

 spiration to the masses generally and to those in our 

 high schools and colleges, we must begin with the little 

 children. 



How early a child's attention may be profitably called 

 to the elements of geology may be questioned, but I think 

 as soon as he can talk, and understand what is said to 

 him. Of course the first lessons will be very, very sim- 

 ple — mostly in form and color. He will gladly gather for 

 you the " pitty stones," and you will notice that these, 

 gathered by himself, and when alone, are generally either 

 definitely colored, or smooth rounded ones, or smooth 

 fiattened ones, few being angular. With your aid let him 

 separate the rounded from flattened, calling his attention 

 to the difference in sshape. Mix them and separate again. 

 Repeat the process many times, at first always letting the 

 child hand you the stones, you frequently asking : "Where 

 shall we place this one ? " Later, let him jjlace them him- 

 self. In a few days he will have so mastered the distinc- 

 tion between /Zai and round, that he can separate quite 

 correctly a large pile. Never continue the lessons till he 

 is weary. When such signs ajDpear suggest that he run out 

 doors and play. In all probability he will return with an- 

 other pocketful of stones. Appear pleased with his ac- 

 quisitions and he pleased. He will detect any insincerity. 

 Give him a box, or a low shelf of his very own for his treas- 

 ures. With encouraging words, the child will thus spend 

 many hours ; they are not play, nor work, but happy, in- 

 structive seasons. 



Having learned to separate round from flattened stones, 

 call his attention to rough, angular forms. He will quickly 

 note the difference. Show him that these are angular 

 because broken from a larger stone. Illustrate by some 

 broken toy of his own. Also show him how to make more 

 angular ones by cracking these with a hammer. If he 

 pounds his flngers, a little experience will remedy that as 

 a frequent future result. He cannot appreciate the 

 smoothing effect of water, so pass it by. Many lessons 

 ujDon surfaces may be received unconsciously in this way, 

 the child learning how to use his eyes, and to compare one 

 object with another. 



Next, take the colors of the stones. Separate them into 

 piles, dark and light. Separate agaia the blackish, the red- 



* A paper read before the Woman's Department in Geolo^ in 

 the World's Congress Auxihary of the World's Columbian Expo- 

 sition at Chicago, August 21, 1892. 



