and immediately put up, they would last uninjured for a great many years. I have noticed blocks, or slabs, in the Cemetery at Fort Snelling, which have lain exposed to the weather for 25 or 30 years, without the least injury to the integrity of the stone.

Dr. Owen has classed the Shell Limestone with the Upper Magnesian. Its palaeontology seems to warrant this. The distinguishing line between the two is not difficult to find; yet the beds above and below the lime are very similar in composition and other lithological characters.

5. Upper Magnesian Limestone.-This formation is almost if not entirely wanting in this State. It is the lead bearing rock in Wisconsin and Illinois, and has a very close resemblance to the Lower Magnesian in most of its lithological features. It probably occurs in the higher bluffs in some of the middle Southern Counties, on a line between Mankato and Root River Valley.

Its palaeontological and mineralogical characteristics have been well discussed in the Geological Reports of Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

This concludes the rocks of a Silurian date in Minnesota. From the Upper Magnesian there is a wide gap in the Geological scale. No other formations are found until we reach the Quaternary or Drift period. I may except, perhaps, some slight beds of the Carboniferous, Cretaceous, and Tertiary, which probably will be found in the Southwestern part of the State. Of this, however, there is much uncertainty. The idea of finding beds of coal of some value, should not be entirely abandoned. If the Cretaceous formation should be found to exist, there are still hopes that on its Eastern border may be found detached beds of coal.

Quaternary or Recent Formations -Marl, clay, sand, peat, &c., exist to a large extent. Not enough however, is known of the extent and value of each to say much about them.

Iren is found everywhere in the Drift, and it is probable that some clay beds may be discovered of much value. There are many localities where surveyors have had great difficulty in running correct lines, on account of its influence on the needle. As yet nothing very definite is known in our State as to the most valuable deposits of this ore.

Fossil remains in the Drift, as yet, have not been found to any considerable extent. At Stillwater, the remains of two skeletons of the mastodon species, (mastodon giganteus) were discovered in the sand and gravel drift, overlooking the town, a few years ago. I have seen several fossils belonging to the Cretaceous and Eocene Tertiary, that I was told had been found in the drift, in the central part of our State. These may have been drifted across from Dacota, west of Red River. We have found also numerous pieces of Lignite that undoubtedly have been brought from some beds on the western borders of our Silurian rocks. They are all water-worn, showing that they have been transported a considerable dis

tance. One piece found near Minneapolis, in digging a well, would weigh 15 or 20 lbs. Externally it resembled a dark colored boulder, and might have been taken for such without a close examination.

In regard to the soil there is so much that might be said with advantage, that in this limited Report, it is hardly possible to say anything that ought to be said. I will, therefore, pass it, by merely referring any one for information on that subject (as well as most other things connected with the interests of our State) to the First Annual Report of Joseph A. Wheelock, Commissioner of Statistics. The physical geography, the climate, the soil; and, in fact, nearly all the known resources and features of our State, are there ably discussed and pointed out. I could add little or nothing to what he has said.

Agriculture in Minnesota, has made rapid strides within the last three years. The capacity of our soil is being well tested, and its resources well developed. What remains to be done is to stimulate by scientific investigations a development of our hidden resources. And to that end I propose the accompanying Plan for a Geological Survey. such remarks as I have deemed relevant.

At the same time adding

PLAN OF A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

1st. The appointment of a competent Geologist, who should have full control and bear the whole responsibility of the survey, for a term of not less than three years, and with a salary sufficient to enable him to proceed in his investigations, bearing his own expenses throughout the State, without needless embarrassment on that account. The least sum possible to enable him to work continuously, and engage at times such help as would be absolutely necessary, would be twenty-five hundred dollars per

annum.

His duty should be to enter into a full and scientific examination and description of the rocks, minerals, soils, salt springs, fossils, sands, marls, clays, and, in short, everything pertaining to the Geology and Mineralogy of the State. Also to collect, as is now required by law, for the cabinet of the State University, a complete set, so far as possible, of such specimens in Natural History, Geology and Mineralogy, as shall represent the resources of our State. He should prepare the results of his iabors and observations for publication, under the following heads:

1. Physical Geography, Scientific Geology, and Mineralogy.

2. Economical Geology, Botany and Agriculture.

3. General Geology of the State.

4. Such contributions of Meteorological observations as may be made in this State.

2nd. As often as sufficient facts and materials shall have been collected upon the above named subjects, or any one or more of them, to form a volume of not less than 250 pages, octavo, the State Geologist should make a report thereof to the Governor of the State, with an estimate of the probable cost of engraving and publication. Whereupon the Governor approving, shall cause to be issued by the Secretary of State, a circular to the printers and engravers within the State, specifying the work, amount of engraving, and style of binding, and number of copies required, and the period within which said work shall be completed, asking proposals to publish the same, and fixing a time when such proposals shall be considered, and the work awarded to the lowest and best bidder, having due regard to his or their ability, skill and responsibility. The Governor should take a bond from the

person or persons whose bid is accepted, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the work, in a sum not less than double the cost of the work.

So soon as the Governor shall have ascertained the probable cost of the volume to be published, and the price at which it may be sold without loss to the State, he should cause it to be advertised to receive subscriptions for the same by volumes-the prospectus of the same having been issued by the publisher or contractor, and the number of volumes to be published should be sufficient to cover such subscription, in addition to the number ordered by the Governor under the contract and no more. Provided, how. ever, that the Governor may grant the copyright of the work to such publisher, upon such terms as he shall deem for the best interest of the State; reserving for the use of the State such number of volumes as may be ordered from time to time by the Legislature; and the subscriptions which may have been made for the work shall be supplied by the publisher at the same price which had been stipulated in the prospectus. If this provision cannot be made available, the Governor should cause the publications to be sold to the subscribers or others, at the established price as provided above; and the proceeds of such sales should be paid into the treasury of the State.

3rd. The State Geologist should so annually distribute his researches in the different parts of the State as may tend to the development of a portion of each. He might, at his discretion, make examination for individuals or companies; but the result of such examinations should be incorporated in the publications.

4th. It should be the duty of the State Geologist annually, at the commencement of the annual session of the Legislature, to make report thereto, of the cost of the survey during the preceding year, together with an estimate for the succeeding year.

5th. The State Geologist should so arrange his labors and researches as the survey progresses, that in case of his death, or removal from the work from any cause, a competent Geologist might continue the same, and thus save loss to the State.

REMARKS.

Whoever undertakes to build a house should sit down and carefully study, to secure the best plan. Many things must be taken into the account. In the first place, the building site should be well considered, that he may select a plan to correspond with it. In the second place, the main objects to be attained in the structure are of vital importance to his plan. In the third place, the kind of material to be used. In the fourth place, the practical experience of architects who have erected buildings before him, thus enabling him to combine experience, which is a valuable kind of knowledge, with his theory-both of which must be made to harmonize if possible. And in the last, but not the least place, he should "count the cost," so as not to fail before he completes his structure.

1. In the Report on the General Geological Features of our State, we have tried to enforce upon your attention the grand and important physical structure on which the survey is to be made. It is by no means meagre in resources. From the little already seen, there is promise of a rich development in the future. And the sooner this richness is made available, the sooner will our State be enabled to become independent of financial embarrassments.

2. The objects of a Geological Survey may be stated very briefly as follows: It consists in placing before the people of the State in the most available and intelligible form, all the information that can be obtained in regard to the rocks, minerals and soils. Also, to this might be added information, especially of a practical character, in regard to the vegetables and animals peculiar to our State.

3. Whatever part of the survey is undertaken and reported on, should be of the most substantial kind. All that is possible for human knowledge to accomplish should be accomplished. There should be no slighting of the work-no necessity for tearing down and building up again.

4. There is a vast accumulation of experience before us. We have the history of surveys in other States. If we are wise we can profit by what has been in many instances their loss. We can see where they have made