602 Wisconsin Academy oj Sciences , Arts, and Letters . 
Surveys in Adjoining States .—The state survey of Wisconsin 
began in 1873 and continued only six .years. It was therefore 
discontinued fifteen years ago. The policy of the states of Mich¬ 
igan and Minnesota is in sharp contrast with this. These states, 
in most respects, are like our own: their southern parts extend 
into the rich agricultural lands of the northwest; their central 
parts are heavily wooded; and their northern parts have great 
mineral resources. These states, in common with Wisconsin, 
have a wider variety of industrial capacities than many other 
states. 
Survey of Michigan .—The geological survey of Michigan, es¬ 
tablished before our own long discontinued survey, exists as a 
permanent organization, with a regular annual appropriation 
of $8,000. Its work has gone on uninterruptedly to the present 
time, and doubtless will continue indefinitely in the future. 
The entire appropriation of $8,000 has been spent, however, 
strictly upon geological work. No attempt has been made to 
prepare a topographical map of the state. There is also a con¬ 
siderable additional amount appropriated for a mineral com¬ 
missioner, whose excellent reports are published annually. An¬ 
other appropriation under a third organization is made for the 
study of the plants and animals. It would seem far wiser to 
unite the whole survey work under a single organization, as 
duplication is thus avoided. 
Survey of Minnesota .—In Minnesota there were early general 
surveys, the same as in Wisconsin and Michigan. The present 
survey of the state was established in 1872, and has continued 
uninterruptedly to the present time. There were set aside for 
the support of this survey the state lands known as the “Salt 
Spring Lands,” which have been sold in part, and which have 
brought to the survey a large sum of money. Even with this 
provision for the permanent establishment of the survey, the 
legislature has in recent years made special supplementary ap¬ 
propriations: in 1887, $10,000; in 1891, $15,000; and in 1893, 
$ 10 , 000 . 
Survey of Iowa .—In 1892 the state of Iowa, a prairie state, 
and therefore having no such wide variety of material resources, 
or unknown mineral capacities, re-established a geological sur- 
