1298 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts , and Letters . 
grander achievement which still awaits solution. In this work 
our rich store of anatomical knowledge gathered since the days 
of the great and courageous Vesalius will doubtless be required, 
nor will the work of the histologist, cytologist and chemist play 
a minor role in its development. 
In the arts and industries there are great problems that 
await solution. The question of the storing of the energy of 
the sun, of using wind and water power to better advantage, 
so as not to continue the terrible waste of our fuel supply, has 
recently been brought home to us stronger than ever. The fact 
that our rich agricultural lands must receive careful treatment, 
so that their fertility may be conserved from year to year, is 
apparent. Alnd is it too much to expect that with careful work 
the yield of our soils may be doubled as to both quantity and 
quality? All our soils should be systematically studied as to 
what treatment is required to produce the best crops for which 
they are adapted. And in animal husbandry do we not realize 
that the grade of our horses, cows, sheep, hogs and poultry may 
be greatly improved by proper methods of breeding? 
In the improvement of our means of communication we have 
but begun. What other view could we possibly take? Were 
not the invention of the steam engine, dynamo, telegraph, tele¬ 
phone, wireless telegraphy and telephony all made within the 
last century? It would be presumptuous to suppose that our 
possibilities in these directions are approaching exhaustion. 
That aerial navigation will eventually develop into a safe, rapid 
method of transportation who can doubt, though the difficulties 
and dangers connected with it appear very great at present? 
In our methods of construction we are using less and less 
wood and metal every year and turning to our supply of silice¬ 
ous materials. Where lightness and great strength are re¬ 
quired metal is still indispensable. But the supply of iron Is 
limited and the tendency will be to seek to use other materials 
in its place wherever possible. This has already begun. The 
chemistry of silicates and other compounds of silicon has been 
studied for a long time, and yet the uses to which compounds 
of silicon have been put have not been greatly increased. Here 
