IV PREFACE. 



It follows as a necessary consequence, that the objects of these 

 Surveys, as well as the manner of their execution, will differ, more 

 or less, in each State ; and that the method of investigation 

 pursued in one may be altogther unsuited to the conditions obtain- 

 ing in another. 



The Survey of Mississippi, according to the act creating it, was 

 to be of the most comprehensive character — nothing less, in fact, 

 than a complete Natural History Survey, embracing scientific as 

 well as practical detail — similarly with that of New York. The 

 limited means provided by law, however, have rendered it unadvis- 

 able to attempt to prosecute simultaneously such a multitude of 

 subjects, since the development of the most practically important 

 results would thus be unduly delayed ; and for some years past, 

 the more immediate objects of a Geological and Agricultural 

 Survey have been chiefly kept in view, the other departments of 

 natural science receiving such consideration only as their intimate 

 connection with the chief objects necessarily required. In the 

 present Report, therefore, the geological and agricultural features 

 of the State of Mississippi, as far as observed, and the investiga- 

 tions made in relation to them, are chiefly considered. 



As to the method pursued in the investigations themselves, and 

 the direction of the latter, the Report will speak for itself. The 

 main object in a practical point of view being, in Mississippi, the 

 promotion of the interests of Agriculture and of kindred pursuits, 

 (in the absence of metallic minerals to any useful extent) and the 

 agricultural features being so closely dependent upon the geologi- 

 cal, as to render the subdivisions based upon the latter almost 

 equivalent to those which represent the former ; since, moreover, 

 the materials of the geological formations are important, not only 

 as imparting their character to the soils, but also as furnishing 

 natural manures of the highest value ; the study of the geological 

 phenomena is obviously the first step towards a full understanding 

 of the agricultural resources, both present and future ; which 

 cannot be intelligently discussed without continual reference to the 

 former. This study being absolutely essential, we must bring to 

 bear on it all the means that science affords, even though these 

 should, at first sigkt, seem to have no bearing on the practical 

 questions to be decided — an objection not unfrequently urged 

 against the detailed study of fossil shells, for instance. Yet this 



