The Lexington advertiser., 1908-02-21
Governor Noel Forcefully
Urges State Geological Survey.

To the Senate and House of Repre-
santatives
Gentlenlen-Your attention is invit-
ed TO the work of the Mississippi
Geological Survey, department re-
Gently created. It's aims are excellent.
The necessity of organization, map
ping out lines of work and selection
of most effective agencies hat could
be provided by limited means, have
prevented adequate test of its capabi-
lity for good. It's support should be
doubled The United States govern
ment will not only cooperate by du.
plicating, or even more, our financial
support, but by giving ms the assist
ance of experts in such line of work,
equipped with the most recent and
improved instruments for making sur
veys and other investigation.
Accurate knowledge of our under
ground and surface water resources
is exceedingly important for promotion
of health, convenience and for the de-
velopment of our industries Change
on scientific lines in the course of
streams will make much overtiOwed
land now almost worthless, exceed
ingly valuable; and in some instances
will afford needed and inexpensive
water power. The aid of the federal
government will be literally extended
to those states which will help them
selves and accept its cooperation.
The Typographical work is closely re-
lated and of great usefulness.
knowledge and intelligently direct
ed efforts at preservation of our forest
ry resources is imperatively required.
At the present rate of destruction and
consumption, our state will be Invested
of all Of its timber in about twenty
years. Care of forests and skill in
cutting timber, so as to avoid needless
destruction, and to provide for the fu.
ture, should be made subject of
thorough and of intelligently directed
action. The federal governments will
ing to co operate with the state in this
work and to lend its help, skill, men,
and money, if we will show our ap
probation of our own needs by accept
ing its cooperation. The work should
not be delayed nor hampered by in
sufficient financial support. Diversi-
fed and scientific agriculture is one of
our states greatest needs to prosperi-
ty. As a condition precedent to mate
rial advance in that direction, our
people must have accurate information
Of the character of their soil and
what is needed to make it and their
labor most productive. Men and ami
m ais can travel in search of food and
other necessities of life but plants, of
Ill kinds, must have their food, in
available form, within reach of their
roots. knowledge o; what each type
If soil is best adapted to, and what if
provided would add most Of its pro-
lucive power, can only be generally
Known by the gathering of such data
rs proper geological survey will pro-
tide. Such surveys are necessary to
Utilize the benefits of scientific agri
;ulture practiced on the states expert
mental farms and by enterprising citi.
ems. Change of conditions will not
hange results unless artificial aid be
for counteracting what would
otherwise have been material change.
There can be no effective and diversi
led and scientific farming, without
uch accurate knowledge of the soils
IS can only be acquired by geological
urvey. The sooner this is done and
IS benefit appreciated and realized the
letter it will be for the state of Mis-
issippi. E. F. NOEL,
Governor.