§ MR. MORRELL (Oxfordshire, Woodstock)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware of an increasing demand for geological maps showing superficial deposits with a view to construction of soil maps, important for agricultural purposes; what steps are being taken to complete the drift maps of the Geological Survey, and whether the publication of drift maps on the 6-inch scale is contemplated.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) The Board is aware that the utility of the drift maps prepared by the Geological Survey is becoming more widely known, and that those interested in agricultural investigation and practice recognise the value of these maps as a basis for such soil maps as they may find it of advantage to construct. The superficial deposits, as shown upon these drift maps, are now being mapped in all districts where work is going on. 158 Thirty-five 6-inch maps of North Staffordshire have been published with drift, and others of South Wales and of the area around Leicester are in course of preparation for publication. The Board do not contemplate the publication of drift maps on the 6-inch scale for the entire country, but manuscript maps of any part surveyed on this scale may be obtained at the cost of copying, and whatever information with reference to superficial deposits the officers of the survey have shown upon their field maps of other parts of the United Kingdom is available for reference at the offices of the Geological Survey.