262 BULLETIN 109, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The report of Professor Harper, herewith submitted, contains much valuable 

 information, shows a high degree of sciencific attainment on his part, and gives 

 evidence that when the work is completed it will be one of great value to the 

 public. The present report is only preliminary and partial and is not de- 

 signed for publication at this time, but is to be embodied and published in the 

 general report, when completed. 



The suggestion of the governor was not, however, favorably acted 

 upon by the legislature. The matter was left without change, but 

 with the understanding that a vigorous prosecution of the work should 

 pave the way to more satisfactory legislation at a succeeding session. 



After passing the v/inter at Oxford in the arrangement of the col- 

 lections and preparations for analytical work Hilgard proceeded in 

 April, 185G, to make a detailed exploration of the northeastern por- 

 tion of the State, where the geological structure seemed most complex 

 and varied. In the course of this expedition, made with the same out- 

 fit that had served the years before, he determined the character, 

 stratigraphical relations, and limits of the Carboniferous, Cretaceous, 

 and Tertiary beds of that part of the State, making extended collec- 

 tions especially of what was afterwards designated as the Ripley 

 group of the Cretaceous by Conrad. 



He also investigated closely the features and geological relations of 

 the " Orange sand," now better knoAvn as the stratified drift, of the 

 southwest, showing its derivation partly from northern sources, partly 

 from the underlying formations, of which it contains the fossils, dis- 

 tinctly characterizing it as a Quaternary deposit of the drift age. 



It having been clearly apparent to Professor Hilgard by this time 

 that the survey would never maintain itself in public esteem on the 

 basis of mineral discoveries, and that it must seek its main support in 

 what services it might render to agriculture, he made a point of pay- 

 ing close attention to and recording the surface features,' vegetation, 

 soils, the qualit^v and supplj^ of water, and especially the marls, which 

 were found to occur in large supply and great variety. He also made 

 a collection of plants which, although omitted from the subjects men- 

 tioned in the act creating the survey, he thought was essential toward 

 the characterization of soils. In the prosecution of these studies the 

 close connection between the surface vegetation and the underlying 

 formations became so striking that he soon largelj^ availed himself of 

 the former in tracing out the limits of adjacent formations in search- 

 ing for outcrops, etc. 



» No instrumentoi topographical work was ever done in connection with the Missis- 

 sippi survey, partly because it v/as not provided for by law. partly because the contiua- 

 ally recurring violent barometric changes during the working season rendered the use of 

 the aneroid, so useful elsewhere, very unsatisfactory. The railroad levelings then avail- 

 able were, however, fully and extensively used and were excluded from the report of 

 1800 simply by the absolute need of brevity for the .sake of reducing the expense of pub- 

 UcatiOD. 



