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its condition as far as possible as soon as the present Report is ready for the printer.

OFFICE WORK.

My office work this year has required much closer application than that of last year, and in consequence I had little time for field work. In addition to the usual routine and correspondence I was engaged until June 1 in editing and revising the manuscript and reading the proof of the First Annual Report. I then used a few weeks in the necessary work of visiting the different field parties, and on the resignations of Mr. McCulloch in August, and Mr. Jones in September, I was left entirely without office assistance for more than a month. The amount of correspondence is steadily increasing. Letters of inquiry are coming in constantly from the different portions of the State regarding different points of interest which require time and study for proper answers. These include such questions as artesian water supply at many different points, the utilization of the greensand marls of Eastern Texas in particular localities, the lignites and their uses, localities and descriptions of clays for pottery and fire brick, the availability of certain waters and soils for irrigation purposes, the prospect for coal at certain localities, the location and extent of the deposits of bitumen, and many other similar subjects.

I have also been called upon for special detailed reports on several subjects, among which may be mentioned:

A report on the artesian water conditions of Texas west of the 97th meridian and north of San Antonio. This report was made at the request of Hon. J. M. Rusk, Secretary of Agriculture, for the use of Congress in their inquiries in regard to the use of artesian water in irrigation.

A report on the iron ores, fuels, manganese, fire clays, and other materials requisite for steel making which are found in Texas, with especial reference to their use at San Antonio. This report was made at the request of the Board of Trade of San Antonio for submittal to the officers of the Army Board, who were charged with the duty of selecting or recommending a site for the erection of works for the manufacture of heavy ordnance.

In October Dr. Otto Lerch was appointed Assistant Geologist, and given the special work of collating the results of the lignite industry in Germany from such literature as was available (the most of which