4 The American Geologist. Juiv - 1;, " :; 
as a complete suite from the state were collected and here sys- 
tematized in this museum. 
While professor Adams was busy with the large work to 
which he had set himself, the blooming time of early state geo- 
logical surveys had come. The studies and lectures of pro- 
fessor Amos Eaton, had had a widely beneficient influence. 
His labors with those of others created at that time a great 
wave of geological enthusiasm. The people of the various 
states became wonderfully interested in the rocks and minerals 
of their lands, and this interest brought about by legislative 
action the organization of state surveys. The subject of a 
state geological survey had been brought before the legisla- 
ture of Vermont as early as 1836. In and out the legislature 
the matter was discussed until 1844, when late in October of 
that year a statute was enacted making an annual appropria- 
tion for the three succeeding years for a geological survey. 
Early in the spring of 1845 governor William Slade in 
whose hands the selection of the head of the survey was placed, 
appointed as such head professor Charles B. Adams. 
Professor Adams who had had preliminary training and 
experience under his college professor Edward Hitchcock, en- 
tered at once upon the work assigned him. He was fortunate 
in the choice of his assistants. He called to his aid professor 
Zadock Thompson of Burlington who years later became suc- 
cessor in the work of the survey, and Rev. S. R. Hall of 
Craftsbury, who had chief oversight of the agricultural fea- 
tures of the survey : Denison Olmstead, Jr., and later T. Ster- 
ry Hunt gave help in mineralogy and chemistry. Also vol- 
unteer and temporary assistants gave excellent help. The state 
was taken under general survey. According to the directions 
of the governor, seven suites of specimens were to be assem- 
bled for the state; an eighth was to remain in the hands of the 
principal of the survey, to be disposed of by him at his. discre- 
tion. The complete suite was for the state collection ; the less 
complete were to be placed in the cabinets of various schools 
in the state. 
Much preliminary work was done the first year of the sur- 
vey. The personal work of the principal was directed to as- 
certaining the character and limits of the geological form- 
ations. Six thousand specimens were collected and a first an- 
