GEOGRAPHIC WORK OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT 337 



Between 1867 and 1878 extensive surveys and explorations of 

 the west were made under Ma.j. George M. Wheeler. Of many 

 parts of the west the maps prepared by this organization are the 

 only ones to be obtained. They were published upon a scale 

 of four and eight miles to an inch, in hachures. These maps are 

 now extremely scarce and difficult to obtain. 



The Corps of Engineers is charged with the improvement of 

 harbors and rivers, in aid of navigation, and in pursuance of this 

 work it has carried on extensive surveys, but mainly of small 

 areas. The resulting maps are published in the annual reports 

 of that office, which can be obtained from the Chief of Engineers. 



WEATHER BUREAU AND OTHER OFFICES AND DIVISIONS OF THE 

 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The primary function of the Weather Bureau is to predict the 

 weather. This work requires the constant maintenance of hun- 

 dreds of meteorological stations, scattered over the country, at 

 which continuous observations of pressure, temperature, rain- 

 fall, humidity, and winds are made, thus furnishing the material 

 for an exhaustive description of the climatology of the country. 

 It involves also an exhaustive study of the science of meteor- 

 ology. It includes also a'close watch of the great rivers for the 

 purpose of predicting floods. 



The publications of this office are voluminous. They consist 

 of a weather map, published daily, showing the climatic condi- 

 tions prevailing in all parts of the country on that morning; 

 weekly weather maps, showing summaries of the conditions ; a 

 monthly weather review -and annual reports. In addition to 

 these, bulletins are published containing treatises on meteor- 

 ologic and climatologic subjects, summaries of statistics, etc. 

 All these may be obtained on application to the Chief of the 

 Weather Bureau. 



Besides the Weather Bureau, the Department of Agriculture 

 contains a number of divisions and offices, much of whose work 

 is geographic. The Biological Survey, the Divisions of Forestry, 

 Botany, Agrostology, Entomology, and Pomology are concerned, 

 in great part, with the distribution of life in the country, and in 

 so far their work is geographic. 



The Biological Survey studies the geographic distribution of 

 animals and plants, and maps the natural life zones of the coun- 

 try, besides investigating the economic relations of birds and 

 mammals. 



