NEW BOOKS. 315 



First Annual Report of the Geology of the State or Vermont. By 

 C. B. Adams, State Geologist. 



We arc gratified in receiving the first Geological Report of Prof. 

 Adams, just as our number was in press. On a hasty perusal, we 

 find that Prof. A., with his assistants, have accomplished a very- 

 creditable amount of labor, during the season which has just ter- 

 minated The report contains an exposition of the economical geo- 

 logy of the State, embracing some of the results of examinalions of 

 the iron ore beds and veins, of those of manganese, and of the 

 marbles and limestone clays and sandstones. In all of these male- 

 rials, Vermont is rich. We have always believed that when carefully 

 examined, it would be found far more productive in many of the 

 most important substances, than has been expected ; and that the 

 survey will prove a mo'^t valuable means of developing, in a short 

 period, the peculiar wealth of the State. We hope, however, that 

 the survey may not be hurried to an end, and we are especially 

 pleased to know that it is regarded with high favor by ihe most in- 

 telligent and influential men in the State. The people may well 

 consider that the expenditures which will be incurred in this enter- 

 prize will be extremely small, in proportion to the benefits which 

 will flow from its completion. There is an important consideration 

 which is worthy of remark now, namely, that Vermont will soon have 

 facilities to market for the many products of her mountains and 

 vallies ; that many of these products, which are now of but little 

 value, will become important by the new means of communication 

 with Boston and the larger cities of the State of New- York, which 

 will soon be opened ; and that enterprise and capital will be speedily 

 doubled, by the discoveries of the survey, and the contemplated 

 avenues to market. The farmer and mechanic, too, will feel at once 

 the combined influence of these movements on their prosperity. 



We agree, however, with President Hitchcock in his remarks 

 in a letter to Prof. Adams (p. 67), that the chief use of the survey 

 will consist in describing and arranging the substances already 

 known, or only partially described and known ; settling the cha- 

 racters of the rocks, so as to show what may and what may not be 

 expected in them, and thus preventing useless expenditures ; in 

 making suggestions as to the substances only partially in use ; and 

 in awakening men, all over the State, in respect to the new things 

 which may be considered as compatible with formations that exist 

 within their territory. 



VOL. II. — NO. II. 



