470 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Capitol is the establishment of a State Museum in the old executive 

 building. Thus far few if any minerals have been obtained, but a 

 fair exhibit of mineralogy of Penns.ylvauia will soon be assured. 

 Then we will have a x>laee where our Jiatuial products can be studied 

 with decided profit to all comers. In the building up of the division 

 of mineralogy it has been urged by your Mineralogist that at least 

 three samples of each mineral be secured, the first as an average of 

 the outcropping, if there is any outcrop, then an average sample 

 of the mineral as mined, then an ideal specimen. Thus one will have 

 a guide to the finding, in undeveloped sections, of every mineral that 

 can be resonably looked for in any part of the State. Here is where 

 our colleges and universities have lacked, as students have nsnally 

 been shown extraordinary samples, which are seldom, if ever, found 

 in practical out-of-door work. 



As more earnest and intelligent attention is being given to miner- 

 alogv everv vear, we believe that Pennsvlvania will ere long take a 

 front rank and every section of the Commonwealth be -correspond- 

 ingly benefited. 



The CHAIRMAN: What action shall be taken on this report? 



On motion this report was received and filed. 



The CHAIRMAN: We will next take up the reports of the Ge- 

 ologist, in order to give Col. Demming a little rest, we will listen 

 to Mr. Stout first. 



Mr. Stout then read the following rejjort on Geology: 



GEOLOGY AS RELATED TO AGRICULTURE. 



BY Mr. W. U. Stout, Pinigrove, Geologist. 



The tertiary period, the latest deposit, during which animals and 

 plants developed, and by their death and decay added their remains 

 to the disintegrated rock, now forms that portion of the earth's sur- 

 face devoted to use in agriculture. 



A large part of Pennsylvania soils consists of stratified rock, de- 

 posited by water action, forming the shahs, sandstone, clays and 

 limestone^ largely derived from the older formations, the granite and 

 traps, the material now supposed to form the interior of the earth 

 in a molten condition. 



Extinct and active volcanoes found on many parts of the earth 

 have no doubt produced the existing topography of valley and moun- 

 tam, together with the water from rain ever carrying into the oceans 

 the disintegrated particles liberated through frost and heat, form- 

 ing new deposits in coast regions and river deltas, at the same time 

 reducing the elevation of continents. 



As a result of the various rock strata's through which water 

 courses flow, the river bottoms and deltas are of the most productive 

 soils, usually containing the elements of plant requirements, in com- 

 bination with the particles of minerals, sand, clay and substances of 

 animal and vegetable origin. 



