president’s address. 
361 
More attention might be given to the minute petrology of soils, 
such as the microscopic study of their constituents. It would be 
interesting to ascertain how far they are due, in particular cases, to 
the immediate weathering of the sub-strata, and to adventitious 
matter brought by the wind, as suggested by Mr. C. Reid.* 
Attention has lately been directed to the micro-organisms or 
bacteria of the soil. Some of these oxidise constituents of the soil; 
others reduce or destroy the same ; while a third group of organisms 
enrich the soil in nitrogen. + 
Subjects of this kind are deserving of special investigation ; but 
in Norfolk, at present, we have no institution that would adequately 
aid those desirous of furthering knowledge. 
This leads me on to some linal remarks on a topic that has, 
I believe, already commended itself to the hearts, if not to the 
pockets, of all Norfolk naturalists — I should hope to all residents 
in East Anglia — the possibility of establishing a University College 
in Norwich. 
There arc in the British Isles about twenty-one provincial 
colleges of scionco and art or technical colleges ; but, without 
overlooking the classes for technical instruction that have been 
established both in this city and at Ipswich, it may be said that 
at present there is no properly equipped university or technical 
college in the whole of East Anglia. It is not only in the larger 
manufacturing centres that such colleges have been established, 
but a town like Huddersfield, with a population less than that of 
Norwich, has its technical college; while university colleges have 
been established at Aberystwith and Bangor, and there is the 
Hartley Institution at Southampton. 
In these days no question can arise as to the desirability of 
having in Norwich an educational institution where science, art, 
and literature could be taught ; and especially if prominence were 
given to the teaching of subjects of special practical importance in 
# Geol. Mag. 1884, p. 165. 
+ Address bv Professor Alfred Springer (American Association), ‘ Nature,’ 
Oct. 13th, 181)2, p. 576. 
