226 Forty-third Report on the State Museum. 



To complete the entire work will require the cooperation of many 

 workers, or the continued systematic work of one or more persons. 

 The State Geologist and the Museum staff can not, with their present 

 resources, supply all the deficiencies. Some of the problems are 

 extremely intricate and perplexing, and must be studied in their various 

 aspects by several persons; and the best expert knowledge is required 

 for their final elucidation. 



I would most earnestly recommend that the completion of this 

 important field-work be undertaken during the coming season; and 

 that the State Geologist be authorized to employ some competent 

 person, under his immediate supervision, to carry on this work in a 

 systematic manner to its completion. 



The professors in colleges, the local geologists, the investigators in 

 adjoining States, can all contribute much to complete our knowledge 

 of the details, while the whole may be combined under a single 

 direction. 



In order to make such a cooperation possible and intelligent, it is 

 necessary to show the present boundaries of our knowledge; and the 

 regions in which farther exploration is necessary, and in which our 

 future working is to be carried on. 



Several eminent geologists have suggested the publication of a 

 Preliminary Geological Map of the State, showing the limits of the 

 formations so far as known, and indicating the regions as yet unde- 

 termined. This would serve to direct attention to the undeter- 

 mined points and promote investigation. I am most emphatically in 

 favor of this course; it seems to me the only proper one to be pur- 

 sued under the circumstances; and I believe that the publication of 

 such a map would almost certainly result in the preparation and pub- 

 lication of a complete geological map which to every interest of a 

 State of 5,000,000 of people is so important. I believe the publica- 

 tion of the present map will do more to bring about the production 

 of a perfected geological map than any arguments which may be 

 made from any direction whatever; and that this is the only method 

 by which the subject can be fully brought before the public. 



In the present condition of our knowledge, I am quite unwilling to 

 communicate to the Legislature a map fully colored to represent this 

 distribution of our geological formations. Such a map would be mis- 

 leading, and would greatly retard the progress and completion of a 

 better map, and to color the map entirely at this time would only be a 

 hindrance to real progress. I can not assume to know that which is 

 yet undetermined from actual investigation, and I must admit that 



