348 



SCIEJSrCE. 



[Vol. IX., No. 218 



with the lapse of time. Fortunately, however, 

 this volume also possesses features of more per- 

 manent value than mere statistics, to the students 

 of American mining and geology. This is espe- 

 cially true of the extended section on the iron 

 ores, which certainly is a boon to every student 

 and teacher of economic geology. The treatment, 

 both statistically and geologically, is well-nigh 

 exhaustive. The geologist will find here a pro- 

 fusion of maps, sections, and diagrams, showing 

 in all desirable detail the geographical and geologi- 

 cal distribution of all the principal varieties of 

 iron ore mined in this country ; with an account 

 of the extent, structural characteristics, and 

 chemical composition of every important deposit, 

 and, in most cases, of every important mine. The 

 geological material, where not original, is collected 

 from widely scattered and comparatively inacces- 

 sible sources ; so that, even if regarded merely as 

 a compilation, this treatise on the sources of our 

 most valuable metal ranks, as a contribution to 

 the popular knowledge, with the most important 

 monographs of the national survey. Of the sta- 

 tistics of the production of iron ore in the census- 

 year, it is sufficient to say, that, like the statistics 

 of the tenth census generally, they are very full, 

 and are presented in every interesting and in- 

 structive aspect. 



The section on the iron ores is followed by that 

 on the coals : and this part of the report is, for 

 the eastern United States, very summary, and 

 chiefly statistical ; the statistics being illustrated, 

 however, by a series of maps showing the general 

 distribution of the coal-measures, and the produc- 

 tion by counties. In his meagre description of 

 the coal-fields of the eastern United States, Pro- 

 fessor Pumpelly has evidently been influenced by 

 the fact that very satisfactory accounts of most of 

 them are now accessible to the public in various 

 general works and state reports, and especially in 

 the report of the second geological survey of 

 Pennsylvania. 



But any deficiency here is fully compensated in 

 the very full report on the cretaceous coals and 

 lignites of the north-west, especially on the line 

 of the Northern Pacific railroad, in Montana and 

 Washington Territory. 



In short. Professor Pumpelly has made this vol- 

 ume a medium for the publication of some of the 

 results of the northern transcontinental survey, 

 carried on for two years (1881 - 83) under his 

 charge. It is a substantial and timely contribution 

 to our knowledge of the geology and resources 

 of the most imperfectly known section of the 

 country. The report is profusely illustrated by 

 beautifully drawn maps and sections. 



The remainder of the volume is devoted mainly 



to the usual statistics of the production of the 

 base metals, — copper, lead, zinc, — and of the 

 minor economic minerals, such as mica, asbestus, 

 asphaltum, barytes, chromic iron, emery, graphite, 

 kaolin, etc.; but it concludes with an extended 

 and well-arranged directory of the mines and 

 metallurgical establishments east of the 100th 

 meridian, and of the mines of bituminous coal 

 and lignite in the eastern states and territories. 



Mineral resources of the United States, 1885. By David T.. 

 Day. Washington, Government. 8°. 

 This is the third of the series of annual octavo 

 volumes on the development and production of 

 the mines of the country, published by the U. S. 

 geological survey ; and since it represents the 

 condition of the mining industries at the mid- 

 dle of the decade, it supplements in an important, 

 way the census volumes already referred to,, 

 bringing the statistical portions of these, espe- 

 cially, nearly up to date. These annual volumes 

 cover the entire range of economic geology, in- 

 cluding building-materials and fertilizers, and, 

 besides the statistics of production, are replete 

 with descriptions of new developments, and notes 

 on the condition of allied industries, and on pro- 

 cesses for utilizing materials which have no value 

 at present. 



SOME AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. 



Report of the viticultural work during the seasons 188& 

 and 1886. (Univ. Cal. coll. agric. rept., 1886, Appendix 

 No. 6.) By Eugene W. Hilgakd. Sacramento, State. 8°. 



This report records the continuation and ex- 

 tension of Professor Hilgard's well-known viti- 

 cultural work of former years, which has done so 

 much towards developing the wine industry of 

 California, and placing it upon a rational basis. 

 The general scope and purpose of this work, as 

 defined by Professor Hilgard, is to aid in " the 

 establishment of more definite qualities and. 

 brands, resulting from a definite knowledge of the 

 qualities of each of the prominent grape varieties, 

 and of their influence upon the kind and quality 

 of the wine in blending." 



With this end in view, work has been done 

 chiefly in three directions, — first, as a means of 

 rectifying nomenclature and aiding in identify- 

 ing varieties, a standard vine collection is being 

 formed ; second, a considerable number of samples 

 of grapes have been made into wine on a small 

 scale at the viticultural laboratory, and the course 

 of the fermentations and aging of the wine and 

 the quality of the product have been followed ; 

 third, representative samples of wine from differ- 

 ent localities, and diff'erent varieties of grapes, 

 have been analyzed. Some comparative experi- 

 ments upon different methods of fermentation 



