PREFACE. 
XIII 
and some of the results are presented in this volume, both because they 
are valuable in themselves, (although the observations in many cases cover 
a period of only two or three years), and because they show the object 
and utility of such observations as no mere statement could do, and so, 
may promote the continuance of them at certain stations and their estab- 
lishment at others, where it has not been possible to find, or to excite, 
interest enough for that purpose hitherto. 
Much labor has also been expended in working out the topography, 
and in correcting the geography of many sections of the state, both be" 
cause these are matters connected very directly with the development of 
our system of internal improvements, and because the existing maps of 
the state are, in some parts, so grossly inaccurate as to render their re- 
construction absolutely necessary to any intelligible location or successful 
prosecution or presentation of geological work. A large amount of ma- 
terial is in hand, in the form of field notes, of a primary triangulation of 
the western half of the state, and also of copies, which have been col- 
lected from all quarters, of old surveys, — of railroads, turnpikes, canals 
and rivers, which remain to be worked up for presentation in another 
volume. The triangulation will be ultimately connected with that of the 
Coast Survey, and of the river surveys made by the U. S. Engineer 
Corps, of which copies have been procured by courtesy of Prof. Hilgard 
and of Gen. Humphreys. 
Special attention has been given also to the subject of the state’s re- 
sources in iron ores and the existing facilities for their reduction, and 
maps and sections are given of some of the more important ore beds, 
&c. The subject is by no means exhaustively treated, as there are many 
ore deposits of which only the locality is known ; and doubtless many 
more which are yet to be discovered. 
The department of Mineralogy has been very fully worked up b} 7 Dr. 
Genth, by means of the large amount of material in the State Museum, 
and his own private collection, which is very rich in North Carolina 
species, and Dr. G. also visited with me many of the more important 
mines and mineral localities, from the Cape Fear to the Nolechucky — 
from Buckhorn to Cranberry. The results of his studies are given in 
Appendix C. A more popular presentation of the subject by him, in its 
economical aspects, was published in a separate paper three years ago. 
The subject of Lithology has not been reached for special or minute 
study until the present year, and the results can only be presented at a 
later date. This is unfortunate, as there are many points of great interest 
which only such minute and thorough study of the lithological characters, 
the composition and structure of the rock masses, can satisfactorily de- 
