Address before the Association of American Geologists. 235 



as peculiarly American, for I am not aware that any general sur- 

 vey of a large district, had been ordered in any other part of the 

 world, till after it had been done in this country. At any rate, 

 sure I am, that it was entirely original with those who introduced 

 it here. North Carolina has the honor of having first directed a 

 survey of her territory. This duty was committed to Prof Olm- 

 sted, who made a report of one hundred and forty one pages, in 

 1824 and 1825, upon the economical geology of the state. Tlie 

 year following, South Carolina gave a similar commission to Prof 

 Vanuxem, whose report was pubhshed only in the newspapers. 

 An interval of five or six years succeeded, before Massachusetts 

 engaged in the work. In 1830, she ordered a survey ; — in 

 1832, an annual report of seventy pages, and in 1833, one of 

 seven hundred pages, with a second edition in 1835, were pub- 

 lished. In 1837. a re-survey was directed ; in 1838, an an- 

 nual report of one hundred and thirty nine pages was printed, 

 and the final report of eight hundred and forty quarto pages with 

 fifty five plates, is just completed. Tennessee began the work 

 only two or three years after Massachusetts, and committed it to 

 Prof Troost, who has published five annual reports in pamphlets 

 of thirty to eighty pages, with a geological map of the state. In 

 Maryland, the work was begun in 1834, and Prof Ducatel was 

 appointed to execute it, who has made seven annual reports of 

 about fifty pages each, with numerous maps and sections. The 

 survey of New Jersey was ordered in 1835 ; in 1836, Prof. Henry 

 D. Rogers, the commissioned geologist, made a report of one hun- 

 dred and eighty eight pages, with extensive sections ; and in 

 1840, his final report of three hundred and one pages, with a ge- 

 ological map of the state and sections. The state of New York 

 was divided into four sections ; and Profs. Vanuxem, Mather, and 

 Emmons, with Mr. James Hall, as geologists, Mr. Conrad as pale- 

 ontologist, and Prof. L. C. Beck as chemist, were appointed in 

 1836, to survey them. Up to the present time, they have made 

 five reports ; the first of two hundred and twelve pages, the se- 

 cond of three hundred and eighty four pages, the third of three 

 hundred and fifty one pages, the fourth of four hundred and 

 eighty four pages, and the fifth of one hundred and eighty four 

 pages. The work is now nearly completed ; and the gentlemen 

 are engaged in preparing their final report. The survey of Vir- 

 ginia was committed to Prof. William B. Rogers, who, since 1835, 



