The preparation of this volume has occupied two years. To some, this 
may appear more than sufficient to have accomplished what is here re¬ 
corded. Whatever view may he taken of it, I believe I am justified in 
saying that I know not how it would have been possible to have increased 
very materially the amount of labor in the time specified above. The law, 
whether right or wrong, required its completion on the first day of October 
last. The work would have been improved, and more valuable, had it 
been possible to have given more time to some subjects; inasmuch as the 
disproportion of labor would have been diminished, and each subject have 
received its due examination. But this, I repeat, has been impossible, 
notwithstanding the fact that I have employed an assistant for the whole 
period, and have continued the work about four months beyond the time 
specified in the act authorizing the continuance of the Survey. 
Mr. J. H. Salisbury, who commenced the study of analytic chemistry 
three years since in my laboratory, and whose services were noticed in my 
last volume, has continued them, and his work is distinguished by the 
initial of his name. He has also kept for me the observations on. tempera¬ 
ture, as recorded in the appendix, for this place. L. C. Ball, esquire, of 
Hoosic-falls, has also contributed observations and analyses for this volume. 
Mr. C. B. Salisbury, of Scott, Cortland county, is deserving of the thanks 
of the community for his observations on the temperature of the soil of that 
place, which is supposed to he elevated about 1200 feet above tide at 
Albany. 
It will he observed, that in some of the analyses of the ash of wood, the 
footing is too great. This arises from calculating an amount of carbonic 
acid sufficient to saturate the lime. There are cases where the carbonic 
