248 The American Geologist. October, 1893 
Money is evidently not the first consideration at Vienna in secur- 
ing objects of scientific value. 
The worth of a meteorite, Prof. Ward explained, is often in 
inverse proportion to its size, because, if large, there is abund- 
ance of the material for all, whereas if small it must be used eco- 
nomically. Large meteorites are usually sliced for purposes of 
study, and a small set of gang saws was slowly cutting its way 
through one of these bedded in plaster, in an adjoining workshop, 
at the rate of one-eighth of an inch a day. 
Not a few of the most interesting meteorites have been modeled 
and are on sale together with imitations -of many of the great and 
famous but unique gems of the world. These latter are mostly of 
glass and are exceedingly beautiful, while for purposes of illustra- 
tion and of teaching they are, to all intents, as useful as real gems. 
Another important element is a large collection of working ma- 
terial, which is sold by the pound for the use of students and 
chemists. This is suflficient to illustrate the chemical properties 
of the minerals ; while for the optical and other physical proper- 
ties other sets are kept in stock. These are purchasable at prices 
that render it possible to use them for class purposes. Ores, also, 
of all the common kinds are kept for the same uses. 
One very important and interesting department which has been 
conceded to Prof. Ward by the U. S. Geological Survey, is the 
construction of models of many interesting and important regions, 
such as the Gorge of the Colorado, ^Etna, Vesuvius, the ClifF- 
dwellings of New Mexico, etc. An excellent model of the Serp- 
ent mound in Ohio was constructed during the meeting for the 
illustration of an address by Prof. Putnam before the Section of 
Anthropology. 
The value of this kind of work is not at all appreciated at pres- 
ent by teachers at large. Only the few can see its helpfulness. 
But we hope the day is not very far distant when geography as a 
science will take its proper place in education — when the teach- 
ing of this subject will cease to be a mere burlesque, a memory 
task of names and details, and become, as it can be and should 
be, one of the most interesting and useful of all our youthful 
studies. Then will our educators awaken to the value, or rather, 
the necessity of such helps as these, and relief maps and globes 
will be as much things of course in the school-room as they are 
in the schools of Switzerland and of Germany. 
