18 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
basis for the organization of such societies in every state. That very much 
can be accomplished by such a connection may be seen from the many dif- 
ferent scientific activities -which have been encouraged or stimulated by the 
societies or by the individual members under the incentive of associated 
work. For instance, the geological surveys, biological surveys, topographical 
surveys, and other enterprises dependent upon state support have in many cases 
had their origin and in many other cases received their support and encourage- 
ment from the state academies. State academies exist in Wisconsin, Kansas, 
Nebraska, California, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, 
Maryland, and Tennessee. In some degree they measure the scientific activity 
of the states, naturally they should flourish in states of large area and less 
population where the isolation of scientific workers has been a special incentive 
to their organization. One of the first of these to be organized was the California 
Academy of Science, followed by the Maryland Academy and the Wisconsin 
Academy of Arts and Sciences, which latter seems to have been organized 
with distinct state faculties and state support from the start and with a re- 
markably full and valuable series of publications to its credit. While its scope 
is somewhat broader than some of the others so as to include historic and 
literary productions, so large a part of its work has centered on scientific prob- 
lems of the state that it is to be counted one of the most fruitful of the state 
academies devoted to science. 
The Kansas Academy of Science, organized 1867, has been a very active society 
through all its career and its reports published by the state constitute a most 
creditable contribution to the scintific papers of the state. 
The Indiana Academy, organized 1885, and which celebrated its quarter- 
centennial with a notable meeting two years ago, has shown great activity 
especially with reference to the problems of the state. 
The Ohio Academy, with which I have been associated for a number of years, 
has enthusiastic annual meetings, publishes its own proceedings, has a re- 
search fund contributed by a friend, and has been instrumental in founding- 
several projects of state-wide interest and importance. While its work has 
been mainly in biology and geology, its programs include papers on widely 
varied lines of study and it has been of great service in promoting acquaintance 
and cordial feeling among the scientific workers of the state. 
These few references to particular societies are given not because they are 
more important than others that might be named, but because they will serve 
to indicate the scope and sphere of the state organizations in science. They 
celtainly amply justify the effort of the devoted members who have given so 
unstintedly of time and thought in the upbuilding of the societies and the 
enterprises they represent. 
While the political boundaries of a state do not always best limit the activi- 
ties of such a society, there is distinct reason for such sphere in the relation 
the academy may have to state problems of a scientific character. Such a society 
composed of representative students from various professions and positions 
may well constitute a useful advisory body for the legislative bodies iu dealing 
with the problems requiring scientific ' attention, but in addition to this, the 
many problems that relate themselves naturally within state boundaries or can 
best be associated with public state enterprises, surveys, etc., give it a rational 
sphere. Perhaps the most emphatic basis, certainly one of the most forceful 
