GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 163 



about destructive insects. 5. In disseminating a knowledge of plants, 

 botli the useful and the noxious. 



The results of tlie field work of 1838 may here be summarized : On 

 the 1st of January, 1839, the State geologist communicated a special 

 report on the State salt springs, in which he announced that he had 

 visited the various salines of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio with 

 the view of collecting information to guide his procedure and had 

 commenced the sinking of two shafts — one on the Tittabawassee, 

 near the mouth of Salt Iliver, and the other on the Grand Iviver, 

 about 3 miles west of Grand Rapids. The springs affording the 

 strongest brines were located in these districts. The work, however, 

 was beset with difficulties very great even for that period, and had 

 made but little progress. On the Tittabawassee the surface mate- 

 rials vrere first penetrated by a shaft 45 feet deep, when fresh and 

 brackish waters overpowered the pumps, and an attempt was made 

 to sink a drill at a neighboring point. The well near Grand Rapids 

 (See. 3, T. C), N. 12 W.) was begun in July, 1838, but had made un- 

 satisfactory progress. 



To complete the history of these two wells in this connection it 

 may be said that $15,000 was appropriated on January 28, 1839, for 

 the continuance of the work, and $5,000 for each of the wells on 

 March 31, 1S40. $300 on April 12, 1841, to pay certain expenses con- 

 nected with them, and $15,000 on February 1, 1842. " from the in- 

 ternal improvement fund," to still maintain the exploration. As a 

 result, the drill on the Tittabawassee well, from May to November, 



1841, penetrated but 139 feet, when a rock was struck (supposed by 

 Doctor Houghton to be quartzite), which the drill entered but half 

 an inch in 11 hours, though loaded with a weight of 270 pounds. At 

 this obstacle the work was suspended, and by act of February 15, 



1842, the well was abandoned. The well on the Grand River was 

 prosecuted till 1842, when work was suspended at a depth of 478 

 feet.* 



Subsequently, as appears from Doctor Houghton's report on the 

 State salt springs, dated January 23, 1843, he delegated the direc- 

 tion of the work to Hon. Lucius Lyon, who carried the boring to the 

 depth of 87G feet. The discharge of brackish water was over 200 

 gallons a minute. At a little greater depth, according to the writer's 

 private information, the drill "got jammed" and the work was 

 given up. 



In these two costly and protracted experiments no brine was ob- 

 tained materially better than that previously occurring on the sur- 



* Had thp TUtahawassoe wpII been drilled to a corresponding dopth, it is probaI)Ie that 

 success would iiave crowned Doctor Ilougbton's indefatigable elTorts, and tlie manufacture 

 •f salt would have been begun 20 years earlier than it was. 



