P E P A C E . IS 



While the former class of observations has been made, and is 

 recorded here, with reference to the greater portion of the State, 

 the latter is as yet very incomplete, in consequence of the chemical 

 work of the Survey having unavoidably remained far behind the 

 field work. Copious specimens of soils, marls, etc., from the 

 regions examined are, however, in the collection of the Survey, 

 and will be subjected to analysis, or such other examination as 

 they may require, so soon as the limited means of the Survey — 

 consisting, thus far, of my single-handed labor, with the occasional 

 aid of kind friends — will permit; and the same is intended to be 

 done with reference to the districts not yet sufficiently examined,, 

 as mentioned in the Special Report. The publication of prelimi- 

 nary Reports necessarily containing a great deal of crude and 

 undigested matter, is not a pleasant necessity to the scientific 

 investigator; but I shall consider the objects ol the present Report 

 to be amply attained, if the observations, results and suggestions- 

 it contains, shall succeed in awakening our agricultural population 

 more generally to the importance and necessity of agricultural 

 improvement, and of a rational system of Agriculture. It rests 

 with them, in great degree, to render the Agricultural Survey 

 that which it should be. It is upon them that the scientific inves- 

 tigator is dependent, in most cases, for knowledge of the faults 

 and virtues of a soil, the cause and remedies of which he is to- 

 ascertain ; it is they who must test in practice the correctness of 

 his conclusions ; and it is only by co-operation of this kind between 

 the practical agriculturist and the scientific investigator, that the 

 benefits of the aid of science to Agriculture, are capable of reali- 

 zation. Agricultural science is young ; it cannot as yet answer at 

 once all questions which may arise in regard to the mutual relations 

 of soils and crops ; but its fundamentals are well established, and 

 it is upon investigations like these that its progress must be based. 

 It is obvious, moreover, that the knowledge thus obtained of the 

 peculiarities of the State, is a most essential step towards the 

 establishment of Agricultural Schools of a character truly prac- 

 tical, in which the young men of the State shall be taught, not 

 only general principles, and what ought to be their mode of pro- 

 cedure in certain suppositious cases : but also what are, in fact and 

 jrractice, the cases they will have to deal with in their own State, 

 illustrated by actual specimens, having received a thorough exam- 

 ination. 



