Daily Mississippi clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-07-21
CIRCULAR.
OFFICE OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND AG-
RICULTURAL SURVEY,
OXFORD, Miss, July 1866.


OXFORD, Miss, July 1866.
After more than five years suspen-
sion of the greater part of its opera
tons, the geological and agricultural
survey of the State has resumed its ac-
tivity, under the organization it pos
sessed for eighteen months prior to
the war. For the present year its
field operations will necessarily re-
main suspended for wan of the requisite
funds, but it is intended they shall be
resumed at the earliest possible mo-
ment, in the spring of the coming year
Meanwhile, the Office work, especially
the examination of soils, marls, rocks,
mineral waters, etc, will steadily pro
gress, not, it is hoped, to be again in
terrupted. In. announcing the fact,
| | renew the invitation to all
those desiring such examinations,
or able to contribute specimens or
facts to illustrate the resources of the
| State, to communicate with me.
There never was time when the in
formation intended to be elected and
conveyed to the people through the
fundamentally of this work, was so
much needed as at present, when every
| thing requires to be reconstructed
As regards our agricultural habits
and practices, it is universally admit
! ted that a mere return to the status
quo ante 6ellam. would be worse than
unwise: it would be ruinous, and in a
great degree practically impossible
We are compelled to make the most
/ of what means the war has left us, in
/ developing the natural resources OF
| the country under the new circumstan-
! ccs and necessities which have arisen.
To aid the people in doing this intelli-
gently and to the best advantage, by
a careful and thorough observation OF
facts, and the application to them OF
correct principles, as derived from
the observation and experience of the
present and past ages is the province
and object Of a geological and agricul-
raj survey.
II is this observation Of facts, need
/ full above all which constitutes the
! heaviest portion Of the work. and that
in which, unless assisted by the PEG
pie, the most skillful observer must
fall short of what no one better thar
himself knows is requisite to give tC
his conclusions that practical value
with a view to which chiefly the wOrl
was undertaken 1t is quite impossi
bic within the limits of time and ex
penditurc usually allotted, to attain by
personal examination knowledge o
all the minute details with which Ions
residence has made even the most nm
observant inhabitant familiar.
Such assistance, in my travels
through the State, have constant.
asked, and as a rule, it has been freel,
given; and l deeply regret my inabili
ty at present, to refer those who hav
done 50 to my report of results, mad
to the Legislature in 1867 for proc
|
that the seed they sowed has not fal
len upon sterile soil.
In the interests Of the objects of tn
survey, l most earnestly solicit cor
tributions from all friends of materis
and intellectual, agricultural and edit
cational progress. Specimens
9 rocks, ctays, marfs, eort@s and sol
are especially desirable and importan
, and scarcely less so what are usual
considered as mere curiosities- toSs
shells. ZONES or ieaUeS The latter ~
among the most essential mean
= available to the geologist, of asce
tanning the geological structure Of
country; without which its agricultl
raj and technical resources cannot /
estimated. Fossils are the Landmark
in the depths of the earth, the lettel
of the geological alphabet; hence tt
: practical and scientific importanc
which attaches to their study. 1t
! extremely desirable that it should |
, generally known how valuable are a
- individual contributions of this cha
!. acter, especially if accompanied b
{ accurate labels, giving the exact loca
q ity, depth, etc, at which the specime
- was obtained The best preserve
specimens are commonly found cast
ally, in digging wells, cisterns, cellar
railroad cuts, etc, and would, if pr
served and combinee, form a finer co
|, lection than any which could be gail
cred during a systematic survey.
y equally request the commune;
y ton of all observations or question
h bearing upon the material resource
4 ornatural history of the State, wheth'
o illustrated by specimens or not
Questions must be mooted before the
can be settled and it is often NJ
among the least difficult tasks to st
n up those which most interest the PEI
pie ofany particular section of countr.
l shall, as heretofore, give prompt a
. tention to all communications of tn
kind, furnishing in return such info
). nation as Ipossess, or can derive fro
+. the examination of specimens SEN
:. and where no satisfactory conclusio
s can be reached, keeping the matter c
:. record for future investigation.
:. The survey is now so far advance
towards completion, that all the chi
geological and agricultural feature
have been determined, and are repr
y scented in the collection Of specimen
u Many interesting and important d
> tails still remain to be investigated
Il but there is no longer, for exampl
u any doubt as to what minerals may {
: may not be looked for in the warrior
IS sections, and that, apart from Iron or
> no metallic ores are to be expected
q But it is not this kind of mineral veal
l. which assures the most desirab
% species of prosperity. Mines enrit