GEOLOGlC-ilL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 399 



found in Sillinian's Journal, and that in the possession of private 

 individuals and corporations were many vakiable articles, the prod- 

 uct of private explorations and observations, which would be of 

 great value ii properly brought before the public, but would not do 

 justice to many portions of the State. Taking into consideration 

 the desirability of continuing the survey and the probability that 

 such a publication would only postpone it, the committee reported 

 against it and recommended the early continuation of the survey. 

 In the same year the senate committee to which the matter had been 

 referred, reported the bill of Mr. Canfield, which, after a great deal 

 of discussion, was ordered to lie on the table. 



Gov. S. P. Chase, in his annual message of 1857, in view of the 

 valuable results of the former survey, respectfully submitted to the 

 consideration of the general assembly the questions, " whether the 

 time has not arrived for the resumption of that work, and whether 

 there should not be combined with it such an agricultural examina- 

 tion as will fully ascertain and disclose the productive capacity of 

 the different soils which compose the surface of the State, and the 

 physical laws and influences by which that productive capacity is 

 determined." In accordance with this recommendation a bill was 

 introduced in the house by Mr, M. Jewett and reported upon by 

 committee. The bill was lost upon its final passage. 



In 1860 Governor Chase asked in connection with furthering the 

 agricultural interest, " May I not add that the resumption and com- 

 pletion of the geological survey of the State, with special reference 

 to agriculture and mining, could not fail to benefit all interests con- 

 nected with ^he soil ? " 



Governor Dennison, in his inaugural of the same year, said : 



PJvery other State in the Uuion except Florida has completed or has i?i 

 progress a geological survey of her territory, and I would recommend to your 

 early consideration the completion of the geological survey of this State, which 

 has been too long suspended. I doubt not its importance to the agricultural 

 and mining interests of the State and to the advancement of science will fully 

 lustify an appropriation for its vigorous prosecution. 



Although the survey was so persistently advocated by the governors, 

 notwithstanding the fact that the legislature had been for years re- 

 ceiving petitions from citizens in various parts of the State praying 

 that the survey be continued, and although the receipt of 15 such peti- 

 tions is recorded in the journals of 18G0 alone, yet the legislature did 

 nothing conclusive during that year. A bill to provide for the con- 

 tiuation of the survey was introduced in the senate by James A. Gar- 

 field, only to be postponed until the following year. The senate 

 committee on the geological survey was requested " to ascertain, if 

 136075—20 27 



