the writer's belief that the economic geologist stands at least as good a chance of success in exploration in the older districts as he does in new fields. Nature is exceedingly erratic and economical in providing places favorable for mineral production; in a producing district the geologic conditions have been proved to be right, and the explorer starts here with this general pragmatic advantage. The explorer here has another great advantage, that much essential information has been gathered which can be built into his plan of operations. He can start, scientifically and practically, where the other man left off. One of the best-known economic geologists has maintained that the more previous work done, the better, because it furnished him more tools to work with. There is no such thing as "skimming the cream" from a geologic problem; there is no end in sight in the search for more knowledge.
This attitude toward the problem of exploration has also proved advantageous on the business or financial side. A successful backer of mineral enterprises once remarked that his best prospecting was done from the rear platform of a private car,—meaning that this mode of transportation had carried him to the center of important mining activities, where the chances for large financial success showed a better percentage than in more general and miscellaneous exploration.
The Use of All Available Information
Effective scientific exploration requires the use of all available information applying to the specific area. This might seem to be too obvious to require mention, yet observance of the methods of explorers seems to call for warning against the rather common tendency to go into a field unprepared with a thorough knowledge of preceding work. It is easy to forget or overlook some investigation made many years previously; or to assume that such work is out of date, and of no special consequence in the application of new thought and