INSPECTION OF SUKVEYING AND MAPPING. 71 
forms and choice of essential details, and in eliminating as far as pos- 
sible their mannerisms and individualities, with a view to gaining 
uniformity of expression for similar features throughout the country. 
For several years it had been manifest that a system of general 
inspection was desirable, because of the great extent of the operations 
of the Survey and the impossibility of individuals working in widely 
separated localities making intelligent comparisons and avoiding diver- 
sity of style. The need is now met by the new section of inspection. 
It is also a part of the duties of the inspector, in consultation with the 
section chiefs, to examine into and reconcile questions which may arise 
between the geologic and topographic branches as to proper and ade- 
quate delineation of features required in special investigations. 
Special attention is given by this section to a classification of the 
physiographic types of topography throughout the United States and 
their relation to the geologic structure. For this purpose there has 
been prepared for the use of the topographers and others a series of 
charts on which are represented characteristic types in the grand 
physiographic divisions of the United States, with examples of approved 
contouring of each type. 
A wall map of the United States is being prepared, which will be 
used also as a general base map for all purposes. The scale is 10 miles 
to the inch, with relief represented by 1,000-foot contours. It will 
show Stave and county boundaries, with the names and locations of 
county seats, and all railroads and drainage. This map will be an 
example of technical and artistic cartography, and will serve as an 
accurate and convenient base upon which to plot a great variety of 
information. 
DIVISION OF GEOGRAPHY AND FORESTRY. 
This division was organized in 1896. Its work is varied in character. 
To it were originally consigned all matters connected with general 
geography, including the compilation of secondary maps and the prep- 
aration of papers on geographic and physiographic subjects. To these 
duties there were added in 1897 the examination of forests and forest 
conditions in the reserves and other wooded regions of the country, 
and the preparation of reports on them. 
The annual allotments which have been made for this work are as 
follows: 1896, $6,000; 1897 and 1898, $20,000 each; 1899, 1900, and 
1901, $25,000 each; 1902 and 1903, $20,000 each. 
The field force employed in the examination of forests has varied in 
different years, and most of the men have been employed for a part 
of the year only. This work being the first attempt to accurately 
examine and appraise the forests of this country, it was necessary both 
to build up an organization and to originate plans and methods for 
field work and for presentation of the results in reports and on maps. 
