Kansas University Weekly.
293
Snow Hall.
Mr. F. E. Macy visited Wellsville last week concerning chinch bug investigations.
The class in Introductory Botany visited Blue Mound and the neighboring bluffs Saturday. Much interesting botanical material was secured.
Chinch bugs are reported abundant in all parts of Kansas. Thus far they do not appear to be causing serious damage to crops except in one or two instances.
Twenty to twenty-five letters are received daily requesting chinch bug infection. Although the majority are from Kansas localties, many are from Texas and Oklahoma Territory.
Prof. V. L. Kellogg, writing from the Entomology Department of Leland Stanford University, says that the department has twenty-five students with but ten microscopes for their use; and concludes with the remark, "such a situation makes my hair curl!"
Numerous complaints are being received by the Entomology Department, of the ravages of insects. The Tent Caterpillar, Clisiocampa disstria,is at work in the vicinity of Lawrence and the southern part of the state; and the Canker Worm, Paleacrita Vernata, is injuring orchards in various parts of the state.
Volume 1. of the Kansas, Geological Reports was received from the publishing house last week. This volume is the first result of the organization of the University Geological Survey which was provided for by the Legislature of 1889 and declared fully organized in 1895 by the Board of Regents of the University. At the organization of the Survey, Chancellor F. H. Snow was made its director, ex officio. Prof. S.W. Williston was placed in charge of the department of Paleontology, Prof. Erasmus Haworth of the department of Physical Geology and Mineralogy, and Prof. E.H.S. Bailey of the Department of Chemistry. The object of the survey is to make a full and complete survey of Kansas, including physiographical, stratigraphical, and economic features.
Report 1. is an octavo volume containing 320 pages of text with numerous diagrams and 31 plates including, besides the full page engraving, a number of large, carefully executed charts; and it is eminently satisfactory to the Survey in mechanical respects with the exception of the paper, the publishing authorities insisting on using a poorer quality than is used in other state reports.
It has been prepared by the department of Physical Geology and Mineralogy under the immediate supervision and by the active labors of Prof. Haworth.
The matter treated is the Carboniferous of Kansas, and allied subjects. The major portion of the report consists of chapters, by Prof. Haworth, on the Stratigraphy and Correlation of the Carboniferous Physographic features, and surface gravels of the Carboniferous, also preliminary chapters on the coal fields, Coal measure soils and oil and gas in Kansas. In addition, the scheme has been followed, of dedescribing in detail certain defined geologic sections throughout eastern Kansas. In this Prof. Haworth has been assisted by M. Z. Kirk, Geo.I. Adams, John Bennett, A.B. Kneer and John G. Hall. The report concludes with a preliminary catalogue of the invertebrate paleontology of the Carboniferous.
It is hoped to have volumes 11. and 111 ready in time for the consideration of the next legislature. Volume 11. will relate to the western part of the State and will be to western Kansas what Volume 1. is to eastern Kansas. Volume 111. will be devoted to economic subjects entirely, such as investigations of oil and gas, zinc, lead, coal salt, water supply, etc.
Volume 1. is for free distribution. Parties wishing to obtain a copy may do so by address in the Chancellor of the University and sending 22 cts. for the necessary postage.
At the Y. M. C. A.yesterday the president occupied the hour with a report of the work during the past year. One and possibly two delegates from the association will be sent to Lake Geneva next summer.
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