V1J1 PREFACE. 



given under separate heads (" Useful Materials") the chief practi- 

 cal results embraced in the previous description of geological 

 detail, which it would be impossible to render fully intelligible to 

 readers not conversant with the science, without writing, at the 

 same time, a Compend of Geology. The latter course has been 

 to some extent pursued in many State Reports, and among others, 

 in the two Reports published previous to the present one, in this 

 State. I have so much the more felt justified in omitting this 

 feature, and substituting for it a Compend of Agriculture, before 

 noticed. 



But it may be thought by some that under the circumstances, 

 the geological, scientific detail might, for practical purposes, as 

 well have been omitted altogether. But it is inadmissible, at the 

 present day, to appear before the public with mere assertions, with- 

 out presenting, as vouchers for the accuracy of the observations, 

 the record of the latter ; and the fact that that record cannot be 

 made intelligible to all at the first glance, can form no legitimate 

 objection to the propriety of giving those who can understand it 

 the opportunity of judging and controlling, the correctness of the 

 conclusions. The very separation of the practical from the scien- 

 tific detail, has necessarily imparted to the latter an aspect even 

 more abstruse than usual ; but the unprofessional reader may skip 

 what seems unintelligible to him, with the understanding that he 

 loses nothing that could be explained, unless he were to go to the 

 trouble of making himself acquainted with the rudiments at least 

 of the science, which it is not the province of a State Report to 

 teach. A great deal, however, of what might not be intelligible 

 to the general reader, by itself, will become so to those desiring 

 further information on the subject in hand, by looking up the 

 paragraphs referred to in the text — to facilitate which, the 

 paragraphs occurring on every page are given at the top, on the 

 inner corner. The whole being written with a view to these 

 references, to avoid incessant repetition, it will be quite essential 

 to the casual reader to make use of them. 



The discusssion of the agricultaral features of a region involves, 

 necessarily, two distinct classes of data, viz: 1st. The general 

 description of the surface configuration, vegetation, soil, etc. 2nd, 

 The discussion of the peculiarities of the several soils, if the 

 observations made are such as to render such discussion useful. 



