THE LEWIS BROOKS MUSEUM. 29 



could hope to find no elements of fertility in such lands, 

 except such as he had added to -them. 



The development of the mineral resources of a country 

 depends upon a knowledge of its geology. The valuable 

 metals, minerals, and other products of mines and quar- 

 ries, do not occur hap-hazard. Certain rocks and forma- 

 tions, as the G-eologist knows, do not contain certain 

 minerals, while others do. Again traces of minerals occur 

 under circumstances where no large deposits can be obtained. 



Besides the precious metals and minerals, the earth 

 yields many other products of economic value, such as the 

 mineral waters, brines, salt deposits, sands, potter's and 

 fire clay, mineral manures, etc., all of which must look to 

 Geology for their discovery, valuation and utilization. 



But the value of geologic il knowledge does not depend 

 alone upon the discovery of minerals. It is of no less im- 

 portance to know when you cannot discover a given mineral, 

 or when it cannot be found in paying quantities. Hundreds 

 of thousands of dollars have been spent in the vain hope of 

 making a valuable "find," where none such can be made. 

 Minerals often occur in amounts just sufficient to lure the 

 non-scientific on in the work of mining, when a knowledge 

 of Geology would tell one that nothing of value can exist 

 there. 



In many cases the ignorant do not need the discovery 

 of a mineral, or indeed any true indication of it, in order to 

 persevere in their expenditure of money. They rely upon 

 "signs," or upon some baseless tradition of a former dis- 

 covery. It has often happened that such mineral-seekers 

 have consulted Geologists concerning their prospects, and 

 have been in vain dissuaded from further search. Especially 

 is this the case when the explorer has in his employ one of 

 the so-called practical miners and geologists. Men of this 

 latter class, even when they know better, which is rarely 

 the case, are generally the last persons to discourage the 

 search for minerals. It flatters their vanity to be implicitly 



