ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 13 



111 one or the other of these wavs he traversed in different 

 directions every connty in the State — some of them many times. 

 Occasionally he delivered a lecture in the town through which he 

 passed. Generally as he traveled he collected for the State 

 Museum specimens of rocks, soils, minerals, ores, marls, woods, 

 and other products. His field note-books are full of notes con- 

 cerning especially the rocks, soils and forests of the regions 

 through which he passed. 



There were no permanent assistants employed on the survey, 

 and in view of the limited appropriation at his disposal, Pro- 

 fessor Kerr adopted the plan of doing in person the general 

 work of the survey, and engaging the services of specialists or 

 general assistants when these were needed. He attended to the 

 official correspondence, without the aid of either clerk or amanu- 

 ensis; and no one w^ho has not occupied a somewhat similar 

 position can realize the amount of labor and time this demanded. 



His correspondence concerning the mineral, mining and other 

 economic interests of the State was quite large, and with men in 

 many parts of the United States and Europe. His correspond- 

 ence with citizens of this State was large and covered almost 

 every subject. In the same mail one might see the following 

 assortment of letters, addressed to the State Geologist: One ask- 

 ing for instructions as to the best method of developing or sell- 

 ing a gold mine; another asking for similar information about 

 a deposit of mica; another (or several) accompanying specimens 

 of rocks, minerals or ores, asking for a complete analysis and 

 instructions for development or selling the property; and per- 

 haps a dozen others asking for information about the gold depos- 

 its, the water-power, and the climate of the State, the practica- 

 bility of a railroad passing through this or that region, the im- 

 provement of worn-out lands, as to the best methods of raising 

 silk-worms, making vinegar, medicine for a sick horse, and sub- 

 jects not more germain. 



In endeavoring t(^ estimate the results of Professor Kerr's 

 work we may confine our attention to the period of his connection 

 witli the survey, whether we have for consideration the material 



