6 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



gence and an excellent combination of effort with others working 

 in neighboring fields, along with great capacity for such work. 

 The observations made and the fossils collected enable us for the 

 first time to form just ideas of the parallelisni of large portions of 

 the rocks of Maine with those of New York, Canada, Nova Scotia, 

 etc." 



The American Journal of Science and Art, the leading scientific 

 journal of our country, says in its issue for May, 1862 : "It is 

 worthy of remark that in these times of civil strife Maine has the 

 courage to inaugurate a new scientific survey, while some other 

 States are suspending work on surveys only partly completed. 

 This is the more to the honor of Maine, inasmuch as in case of a 

 foreign war she would be the first to suffer the liability of an in- 

 vasion." 



We have collected a large number of specimens illustrating the 

 Geology, Zoology and Botany of the State, which we have accumu- 

 lated at the rooms of the Portland Society of Natural History, pre- 

 paratory to culling out suites of specimens for the State House 

 and the higher literary institutions of the State. We are under 

 great obligations to this society for the free use of their rooms, and 

 especially because they are aiding wonderfully in promoting a 

 scientific knowledge of the State by their publications and the 

 opening of their collections to the use of the public. These publi- 

 cations assist the State materially, for they are filled with scientific 

 details of great importance, which need not be repeated in our 

 reports, and are accessible to all who wish to inspect them. The 

 value of this society is well known to you, as in times past you 

 have granted it aid. The society is now virtually paying back to 

 the State all that it has received. 



We must renew our thanks to the citizens of all parts of the 

 State where we have travelled the past season, for their hospitality 

 and earnest efforts to assist us in our labors. Last year we thought 

 we had never seen people so obliging and generous as those who 

 assisted us, but this year they have been still more courteous. In 

 addition to those enumerated last year, we are under special obli- 

 gations to the following gentlemen, as well as to many others 

 whom we have not time to mention : Hon. Ira Fish of Patten, 

 Joseph Pollard and Eben Trafton of Masardis, Daniel Stickncy of 

 Presque Isle, Hiram Stevens, William A. Sampson, J. W. Haines, 

 Edward P'owler, Cyrus Estes and John B. Trafton of Fort Fair- 



