Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-11-15
REPORT ON GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

was referred that portion Of the Governors
Messas9 WHICH re6fs 10 geological sur
~ 'rh<fHt 2{aye' had the same under con.
!. sideiA Ncn, ARE strongly impressed with
the impdftaxoB oil the object. The advanta-
= gesN sob Surveys are no longer problem
{ atical FTheyfhavc been long completed In
many SFtes 81 our Union, and are now IN
progyasin New Hampshire, New York
anIsouS Of the western States The effect
has bceis in New Jersey, to render her bar
rem plain4 tbe most productive land in the
State, to- Increase their value from i've to
thirty Uollars an acre, and TO retain upon
shenskn Industrious and prosperous popna-
rios, WIS. were hbout TO abendon them for
the rnofS ieria prairics Of the west. In
Massschtsets an impetus has been given to
every bratch OF agriculture. and means of
improving their soil have been discovered,
which have already added much to the
wraltlkS[her intelligent farmers. Similar
resul6<hare been produced in Maine, and
,NewAhshpshire has been so much impress
(Spd' with ,lis advantages conferred upon her
neHhbors, that she has this season com
,"&s.d a similar survey Probably no,
State in New England furnishes better
field for the geologist than Vermont Her
mineral treasures already developed are Of
incalculable value, & would. il she possessed
the means OF easy access to markets, pro.
duce an income nearly equal 20 tha, derived
from her agricultural products Iron, III.
most valuable Of all minerals. is found of an
excellent quality ia many parts ofthe State.
and would, without doubt, should this sur.
vey be made. be brought to light in many
other places, where its existence is not now
suspected. OF her granite. her state house
furnishes beautiful and imperishable en-
sample. Already she exports every variety
Of marble--her quafries of freestone and
slate are becoming sources Of wealth, and
she could now stock all the markets Of the
world with coperas, an article Of indispen.
sibe Importance TO out manufacturers II
cannot be supposed that all her mineral res.
ources have been disclosed A geological
survey will point out, where these and other
valuable minerals are to be sought, and
where they may be found II has been too
much the custom TO consider a geological
survey merely as a matter of scientific inter.
est; that its only object was to examine the
several rock formations. determine the or
der in which they ale situated. ascertain
their mineral contents, and from this infor.
mation to overthrow some old theory or
establish new one, with regard TO the eau.
ses which have operated TO produce such
arrangement. II your committee viewed
the subject in that light. they would not,
certainly, in the present state of our treasn.
~. with no other revenue but that derived
ircm direct taxation, impose the slightest
burden on the people to promote it. They
would leave ii 10 individual enter prise But
as measure Of economy. calculated to IN
crease the resources of the tax-pay yer, and
thus render the support of government less
onerous, they feel justified in recommending
small appropriation
The geologist Of Maine estimated that
more than the whole expense Of the survey
had been saved to the State, by putting an
end TO The indiscriminate digging for miner.
ais in places where they were never known
10 exist,and to the waste Of money in endrav.
oring TO render ores productive which are
entirely yalueless.
But the addition which i, furnishes to the |
agricultural resources OF a country. is what
renders knowledge Of its geology pecul- |
iarly important. Geology has TO do. not
only with the rocks which form the crus,
Of the earth. but with the soil which covers
them. and which is formed from their dis |
indignation. Every rock forms a peculiar
soil which varies in productiveness accor.
ding to the materials OF which il is compos. |
ed, and which naturally produces vegila-
ton peculiar to itself The remains of veg.
etablc and animal decompositions, form, in
the course oftime, very important inpre-
dent. This is found TO exist in very differ.
ent proportions in different soils. But. im.
portant as this material is, its quantity fur
nishes no exact measure offertilhy. Il may
exist in a state which units !, for Inc nour-
ishment Of certain plants, and requires the
addition OF some substance which will pro-
duce chemical change that will adapt il to
the nature Of the crop intended to be raised |
Thus, peat meadows, composed entirely OF
vegetable remains. produce nothidg but
coarse bog grass, but when mixed with 9TH
er soil, iormthe most productive lands, and
may be converted into most valuable man
ure. The mineral contents Of the. soil are
of no less importance. Wheat cannot be
raised on soil destitute Of li,nc, while Ind. |
an corn requires but liltle Prof Hitchcock
remarks. THAT facts indeed seem 10 warrant
the conclusion. that without lime in some
form, land will moi produce any valuable
vegetation" Without chemical analysis, il
can with no certainly be determined that
any soil. although situated upon lime rock
contains sufficient quantity OF Ibis article
II may have been exhausted by repeated
cultivation. or the original soil NAV have