Septembek 16, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



371 



' Shore Line and Hill Top in New England ' 

 is the title of chapter two. A mountain foun- 

 dation covered with drift is described as the 

 physiographic type of the division. The in- 

 fluence of this structure upon life, upon agri- 

 culture and the diversion of the streams, thus 

 causing the waterfalls so prolific of power, the 

 resulting coast line and its result upon com- 

 merce are among the topics taken up. The 

 history of New England, which has been di- 

 rected to some extent by surface and climate, 

 is discussed, but the author does not lose his 

 balance. ' That environment influences char- 

 acter,' he says in summing up the influences 

 of climate and physical features, ' need not 

 be asserted; but one can not be sure in 

 weighing its influences.' The coloring of 

 the literature of New England by geographic 

 influences is shown by selections from Emer- 

 son, Whittier and Thoreau. 



The ' Appalachian Barrier ' is discussed in 

 the third chapter. The region of mountains, 

 plateau and valley which stretches as a unit 

 from New York to Alabama, together with its 

 fringe of Piedmont Plateau and coastal plain, 

 is described in popular language. The unity 

 that such a barrier enforced upon the colon- 

 ists and its effects upon the Revolution are 

 the principal themes of the chapter. The 

 development of routes across this barrier, first 

 by trails and later by railroads, is described. 



Chapter four has the title, ' The Great 

 Lakes and American Commerce.' The Great 

 Lakes, their probable origin, their geographical 

 features and their historical and industrial 

 influences are prominent topics. Duluth, Mil- 

 waukee, Chicago, Cleveland and Buffalo are 

 accounted for on geographic principles. 

 Niagara, past, present and future, is discussed. 

 In discussing this great continental water- 

 way from Buffalo to Duluth the fact, perhaps 

 not generally appreciated, is emphasized that 

 more tonnage passes through the ' Soo ' than 

 through the Suez canal, and that the com- 

 merce of Cleveland at times rivals that of 

 Liverpool. 



Chapter five deals with the prairie states, 

 taking Illinois and Iowa as types. The intro- 

 ductory pages describe the visit of the Spaniard 

 on the south and the invasion of the French 



trapper and trader on the north. In fol- 

 lowing the latter an idea is given of the drain- 

 age systems which provided paths for them. 

 The topography of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois 

 is contrasted with that of New England. Both 

 are glaciated regions, but the former has re- 

 ceived the ice action on a fairly level sur- 

 face, so that the glacial detritus is more evenly 

 spread, the finer materials of ice action have 

 not been swept away and the level, fertile 

 prairies are the result. The author takes up 

 the settlement of this district, the routes of 

 immigration, the development of its social 

 and financial problems and the location and 

 growth of its cities. 



' Cotton, rice and cane ' is the title of the 

 chapter which deals with the group of south- 

 ern states. The coastal plain with its level 

 surface and sluggish tidal rivers is described 

 as the typical structure of most of the states 

 of this division. Virginia, North Carolina, 

 Georgia and Alabama have in addition con- 

 siderable area in the Piedmont Plateau, while 

 Florida has a structure rather peculiar to it- 

 self. In South Carolina three zones of life 

 and industry are described, each a good ex- 

 ample of ' earth control.' Sea Island cotton, 

 rice and truck farming are characteristic of 

 the coast lowlands and islands. Here is the 

 ' black belt.' Between this and the plateau is 

 a belt of sandy country whose inhabitants, the 

 ' sand hillers,' share the poverty of the soil. 

 In the northwestern corner of the state is the 

 plateau country whose poorer soil and cooler 

 climate made slavery less profitable, and the 

 whites are more numerous than the colored 

 people. 



North Carolina, while rich in land and 

 with a genial climate, drew her population 

 from Virginia and South Carolina. The sand 

 reefs on the coast and lack of harbors cut her 

 off from the sea. Florida is described as al- 

 together coastal plain, and the most youthful 

 of the states. The lack of water power and 

 coal and the scarcity of most minerals would 

 seem to justify the author's prophecy that the 

 country will not give way to the town to the 

 same extent as in most states. 



The evolution of the plantation, the growth 

 of the slave system and the present social and 



