CHARLES UPHAM SHEPARD. 421 



mineralogy led to the preparation of papers on that subject 

 which he sent to the American Journal of Science, and in this 

 manner he became acquainted with its editor, the elder Silli- 

 man. He was invited in 1827 to become Prof. Silliman's assist- 

 ant, and continued as such till 1831. For a year of this time 

 he was Curator of Franklin Hall, an institution that was 

 established by James Brewster in New Haven for popular 

 lectures on scientific subjects to mechanics. 



In 1830 he was appointed to a lectureship in natural his- 

 tory at Yale, which he held till 1847. In the winter of 1832- 

 1 833 he investigated the culture of sugar cane and the manu- 

 facture of sugar in the Southern States, his results being in- 

 corporated in Prof. Silliman's report to the Secretary of the 

 Treasury. 



His investigation in the sugar States led to his appoint- 

 ment, in 1834, as Professor of Chemistry in the South Carolina 

 Medical College, at Charleston. This position required his 

 residence in the South for only part of the year, so that he 

 was able to continue his lectures at Yale and to accept, in 

 1835, an appointment as associate to Dr. James G. Percival on 

 the Geological Survey of Connecticut. 



It was in the darkest hours of Amherst College, in Decem- 

 ber, 1844, that Prof. Edward Hitchcock was raised to the 

 presidency of that institution, and in order to provide for the 

 partial vacancy thus created in his department, Charles U. 

 Shepard, of New Haven, was elected Professor of Chemistry 

 and Natural History, this election " to take effect provided 

 Prof. Hitchcock accepts the presidency." Both appointments 

 were accepted. Prof. Shepard entered upon his new duties in 

 the following year. Only two years were needed under Presi- 

 dent Hitchcock's able management to restore prosperity to the 

 college. Prof. Shepard, being then satisfied that Amherst 

 would be able to afford him a permanent field of labour, 

 severed his connection with Yale and offered to bring his 

 valuable collections to Amherst if the college would house 

 them in a fireproof building and consider the purchase of 

 them when it was able. This proposition was gladly ac- 

 cepted. 



As an instructor, he at once communicated to his students 

 his own zeal, unless, perhaps, the ground was unfertile, in 

 which case he would plainly but politely suggest the desira- 



