Letter from Mississippi State Geologist Eugene W. Hilgard to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 29, 1859

Documents
Letter from Mississippi State Geologist Eugene W. Hilgard to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 29, 1859

Document Network
Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Moore, W. D. Hilgard, Eugene W. (Eugene Woldemar), 1833-1916 McWillie, William, 1795-1869

Events

Fairs

Organizations and Businesses

Mississippi--Capital and capitol Mississippi. Legislature University of Mississippi

Occupations

Architects Assistants Chemists Geologists Mississippi. State Geologist Planter

Places

Tippah County (Miss.) Lafayette County (Miss.) Calhoun County (Miss.) Yalobusha County (Miss.) Carroll County (Miss.) Attala County (Miss.) Leake County (Miss.) Holmes County (Miss.) Madison County (Miss.) Hinds County (Miss.) Rankin County (Miss.) Simpson County (Miss.) Lawrence County (Miss.) Marion County (Miss.) Covington County (Miss.) Smith County (Miss.) Jasper County (Miss.) Pontotoc County (Miss.) Chickasaw County (Miss.) Choctaw County (Miss.) Winston County (Miss.) Noxubee County (Miss.) Oktibbeha County (Miss.) Kemper County (Miss.) Lauderdale County (Miss.) Clarke County (Miss.) Wayne County (Miss.) Greene County (Miss.) Jackson County (Miss.) Harrison County (Miss.) Hancock County (Miss.) Pike County (Miss.) Franklin County (Miss.) Jefferson County (Miss.) Claiborne County (Miss.) Tishomingo County (Miss.) Itawamba County (Miss.) Monroe County (Miss.) Lowndes County (Miss.) Neshoba County (Miss.) Perry County (Miss.) Amite County (Miss.) Wilkinson County (Miss.) Oxford (Miss.) Jackson (Miss.) New York (State) Kentucky Missouri Louisiana

Page 1

To his Exy. Gov. J. J. Pettus
Dear Sir,

I herewith trans-mit for your consideration my spe-cial Report (as far as at present completed) on the progress and results of Geological and Agri-cultural Survey of Mississippi. I find that to complete the Report in accordance with with the plan thus far pursued, so as so embrace all the useful matter contained in the field notes and office records now on hand, may require more time than the present session of the Legis-lature is likely to continue ^The material having proved somewhat more abundant than I anti-cipated^; hence I have thought it best to submit to you the finished portion. The remainder, ^which will embrace about 300 pages more,^ is in progress, and will be submitted as ~~[?]~~ soon as pos-sible.

Page 2

~~In order to be enabled to present as many results as possible~~

You are aware that in the prose-cution a Survey whose ~~[unclear?]~~ chief object is the development of the agri-cultural resources of the State, the field-work, though at once offering many useful suggestions, is in the main but the preliminary step, while the ultimate and most important results are necessarily dependent upon the chemical part of the work—viz: the analyses of soils, subsoils and manures, and their discussion in connection with the observations made in the field—^the latter^ embracing, not only the actual and personal observations ~~of the~~ made on by the geologist, but ~~all~~ also the experience of those who live on the spot, which it is an essential object to collect as fully as possible. It is thus,

Page 3

by combining the ~~[unclear?]~~united results of all practical observation, with those elicited by ^purely^ scientific research, that we obtain in a brief period of time that knowledge of the properties and ~~[unclear?]~~ necessities of our soil, while mere desult~~[unclear]~~ory experimenting failed to afford us, even after the lapse of centuries. For science at the present day, is not what ~~might~~ might have been said of it of old—~~the~~ an edifice reared by the speculation of some ingenious brain; it is, ~~[unclear?]~~ on the contrary, the sum and substance, ^or result,^ of all experiences combined in a systematic ^and logical^ manner.

Since my appointment in March 1858, my attention has been al-most wholly devoted to the ob-servation of the agricultural and technical resources of the districts ~~which I have~~ examined, according

Page 4

to the general plan above referred to. Having been without a chemical laboratory up to the month of March of the present year, my time up to that period has been devoted chiefly To field work, and to such office work as, in the ab-sence of a laboratory, it was practi-cable to accomplish. During the year 1858, my ~~[?]~~ labors in the field embraced portions of the counties of of Tippah, Lafayette, Calhoun, Yallabusha, Carroll, Attala, ^Leake,^ Holmes, Madison, Hinds, Rankin, Simpson, Lawrence, Marion, Covington, Smith and Jasper. During the present year, the counties of Pontotoc, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Winston, parts of Noxubee and Octibbeha, Kemper, Lauderdale, Clarke, Wayne, Greene, ~~[H]~~ Jackson, Harrison Hancock, Marion, Pike, Frank

Page 5

lin, Jefferson Claiborne, and Hinds, have received attention.

It is not to be understood, that the ^Field^ Survey of these counties is con—sidered as completed. Of some of them, small portions only have been visited; others have been more spe—cially examined, but in none of them can the investigation be considered as having been exhaustive. It would be almost impossible to to do so at once, even if considerable time were devoted to each; for the reason that the very investigations which cannot be prosecuted in the field—viz. the analysis of soils etc.—is itself ne-cessary in order to suggest to the investigatior some of the most im—portant questions which ^may^ require to be decided, and which would not pos—sibly be foreseen and taken into ac—~~[unclear?]~~count, before the analyses were

Page 6

made. It is necessary, in the first instance, to obtain a correct general knowledge of the facts and phenomena which require in-vestigation. After ~~that~~ this has been done the kind and quantity of the work before us can be cor-rectly estimated, and intelligently distibuted according to its importance, once the time and resources which may be at disposal.

The field work of the two past seasons, together with ~~what~~ ^that which,^ under a different system, had been previous-ly executed by myself (in 1856), in the counties of Tippah Tisho-mingo, Pontotoc, Itawamba, Monroe, Chickasaw and Lowndes, have placed me in possession of the general knowledge above referred to, with respect to by far the largest portion of our State; ~~the only counties of which~~ and ~~[?]~~ over large districts, but little filling up of specialties remains to be done, in order to complete their geological and agricultural map. How far this is the case, will be apparent from the special Report.

Page 7

A hasty trip made in autumn 1855, in company with the then Principal geologist, has left in my mind some of the generalities con-cerning the counties of Noxubee, Neshoba, Perry, Amite and Wil-kinson, which I have not since visited; unfortunately, ^(as stated in my last years Report)^ all the field records of the trip in question, together with all others ^heretofore^ made ~~previously~~, with the exception of my own, have been missing ever since the departure from the State of the late geologist.

The amount of special matter contained in the field notes resulting from the field work of the several years alluded to, is very large; but ~~in [unclear?] of~~ owing to the ~~[unclear?] heretofore~~ backward-ness of the chemical work of the Survey, for the reasons above referred

Page 8

to, but a small portion ^comparatively,^ of their contents could be usefully reported at the present time.

During the ~~past y~~ present year about four months and a half have been devoted by me to labora-tory work, and forty four ^quantitative^ analyses of soils, subsoils, marls, limestones, and other materials have been com-pleted. More might have been done, had more of the conveniences of modern laboratories, by whose aid the processes may be carried on more expeditiously, been at my command. Having been under the necessity, however, of completing the outfit of the Survey laboratory at my own risk and expense, I was ob-liged to remain within the limits of what was indispensable to the successful prosecution of the ana-lytical work. As for the interesting and important results of these ana-lyses, I beg leave to refer you to the accompanying geological report [and?] table

Page 9

With reference to the method pur-sued by me in the special Report, my aim and guiding principle has been, to answer in the most intelligible manner I could com-mand, the questions which, in my travels, I have ^found^ occuplying the minds of the people. In order to render the special ~~descript~~ dis-cussions generally intelligible, ~~I have~~ it was necessary to premise the general principles of rational Agriculture; this I have ~~all~~ at-tempted to do in the general por-tion of the Agricultural Report herewith transmitted; in such a manner as to illustrate the principles themselves by examples from our own State, and dwelling upon them with special reference to the agricultural practice of Mis—

Page 10

sissippi. In so doing, it has been my object, both to relieve the dry-ness of theoretical discussion, and to fix ^better^ the principles themselves in the mind of the reader, by reference to familiar examples.

~~[unclear?]~~ In the special portion, I have adopted the natural subdivi-sions of the territory of our State, according to the ~~[unclear]~~ soil and and general character, rather than the artificial political divisions of counties, which would involve endless repetitions. I believe this to be the correct method in a Report which is to give the gener-alities of ~~the~~ natural aspect, rather than a multitude of special information. In the Final Re-port, a different arrangement may be advisable, so that all that relates to any given county,

Page 11

might be found under that head; but for the object of the present Report at least, I be-lieve such subdivisions as "The Sea-Coast Counties "_" The Flatwoods Region "_" The Southern River Counties "_ to be more suitable; because they enable the reader at a glance, to inform himself as to the character of a whole, similarly constituted region. Giving in the first instance, the ~~general~~ geographical outline, I then proceed to describe its general aspect, ^surface conformation,^ and the local changes and transitions; then follows the special discussions of the soils and their analyses, if any have been made, together with theose of natural manures, limestones, or other use-ful materials which may be found in the region. Then follows the

Page 12

character of the drainage, wells springs, etc. with analyses of waters, if any have been made.

In all cases I have endeavoured, by copious references, to facilitate the understanding and comparison; it is intended also, to add mar-ginal notes, if the Report should be ordered to be printed.

The first part of the Report contains the purely geological part of the observations, which, though indispensable to a thorough under-standing of the subject, it is impos-sible to treat of without the copious use of technical terms. I have thought it best thus to separate the two subjects, in order ~~not to inturupt~~ that each one might be an unin-terrupted unit; and that, while copious references connect the two, ~~each one~~ every reader mights more readily find what particularly interests him.

Page 13

whose generous zeal for the cause of science has caused him to devote almost every moment of leisure during the present year

The collections of the Survey, for the present deposited chiefly at Oxford, have now become very extensive. In view of the great-importance of preserving these original specimens, which will necessarily be resorted to here-after ^as standards^ for comparison, and the almost unavoidable confusion arising from their being deposited, with loose labels, on bare shelves, as had thus far been done, I have procured for them paper boxes of the proper dimensions, to receive the label and specimen, thus se-curing them against loss and con-fusion. Through the kindness ~~[unclear?]~~ of Prof, W. D. Moore, of the University of Mississippi,

Page 14

whose generous zeal for the cause of science has caused him to devote almost every moment of leisure time ^during the present year^ to the furtherance of the objects of the Survey, the collections have been labelled and arranged, and an large part of the fossils determined; a subject to which, without his aid, I should have been ~~[unclear?]~~ able to devote but very little attention.

According to law, duplicates of all the specimens collected in the course of the Survey, are to be deposited at the University, and at Jackson So long as the Survey is in progress, it is desirable, and almost indispensable, that all the ^geological^ specimens should be kept together, for study and comparison With the agricultural specimens, however, the case is different; and

Page 15

as it is specially desirable that they should be accessible to planters and others who may wish to in-spect them, at the earliest ~~pos-sible~~ period possible, I have trans-ferred a ^duplicate^ collection of about 350 specimens of soils, subsoils, marls, clays etc., to Jackson. These speci-mens, most of which are put up in bottles, and all labelled with as much special data as the space would admit of, have been exhibited at the State Fair, and are now deposited in the "Geolocial Room" in the Capitol, where they may be inspected by all interested Such as have undergone analysis, are provided with a label speci-fying the same.

In conclusion I beg leave I call your attention to the accompanying document (C)

Page 16

relating to the financial condition of the Survey, and its [wants?] in reference to the employment of a larger force [in?] its prosecution

With the highest respect
your obed^t svt.
Eug. W. Hilgard
State Geologist.

Jackson Nov. 29
1859

Page 17

(C)

To his Excy. Gov. J. J. Pettus,
Dear Sir,

In submitting my Report on the progress of of the Geological and Agricult-ural Survey, it becomes my duty to solicit your attention to some points of grave importance not only to the progress, but, as ex-perience has shown to the very existence of this important work. I ~~refer~~ allude to the inadequacy of the present appropriation to accomplish, within any reasonable [limit?] of time, the objects for which the Survey was established; and ^to^ the necessity of making more effectual provisions for its prosecution.

Last year, I presented this sub-ject to the notice of the Governor and the Legislature, in a special

Page 18

Report on the Condition of the Survey ^x); and the suggestions therein made were recommended to the Legislature for adoption, by Gov, M^cWillie. No action, however, was taken on the subject, and the con-dition of things as referred to in said Report, pp. 18 to 22, has not therefore been changed save in one particular. It being impossible to make any real progress, and to obtain any decisive and tangible results, without the aid of a chemical laboratory equipped for the purposes of analysis, I have ~~completed~~ procured the necessary outfit, ad-vancing the cost out of my own purse, as far as necessary ~~But [unclear?] [unclear?] have [unclear?]~~

x) Erroneously printed, on the title page, "Report on the etc. Survey."

Page 19

While I have thus been enabled to perform the analyses of which I subjoin a tabular view; ~~and~~ whose important practical bearings will, I believe, suffice to vindicate to the Geological ~~Survey~~ and Agricultural Survey of Mississip—pi, that rank among her intern-al improvements which has been accorded to similar works in New York, Kentucky and Mis-ouri; the expense thus in-curred has naturally swelled the expenditures of the Survey for the current year beyond the limits ~~allow~~ of the appropriation allowed by law, of $1000 per annum, "for expenses in making said Survey." Up to Nov. 17, the expenditures, as you will perceive from the ac—companying vouchers and balance sheet, amount to about ~~$1425~~ $1427

Page 20

and my estimate of unavoidable expenses from that date to the end of the fiscal year of the Survey (March 15, 1860) is about $250. This deficit of $675, will be diminished by $130, the net proceeds of the sale of one of the microscopes bought by my predecessor, ^~~[unclear]~~ which was au-thorized by Gov. M^cWillie^, If however, the balance of $545 were left to stand against the appropriation for the next fiscal year, it would seriously embarrass ~~my [unclear?]~~ the operations of the Survey, and would probably render it necessary to suspend them altogether for a part of the year. It is very ~~[unclear?]~~ desirable, therefore, that this deficit should be covered by a special ap-propriation.

Page 21

In regard to the necessity of providing for an assistant, I beg leave to call your attention to the fact, ^~~among the 350~~ that among the 350^ ~~[unclear]~~ ^ soils, subsoils, and marls, ~~limestone~~ now in the collection, there are about 200 requiring quantitative analysis. Analyses of soils are among the most delicate operations which it falls to the lot of analytical chemists to perform, for the rea-son that the most important in-gredients of soils are contained there-in in the most minute quantities An analysis of soil carelessly made, is utterly worthless; nor can an analysis of this kind be performed with the proper care, in any time less than three days, on an average—that is, when many analysis are carried on si-multaneously, about ten may be

Page 22

completed in a month. The 200 specimens to the analyzed in-volve, therefore, fully two years work in the laboratory, exclusive of any other.

It would be to very little purpose at the present stage of the Survey, to ~~keep~~ ^continue the^ accumulation of raw material in the shape fo field notes, while ne-glecting that part of the work which alone will render fruitful that which has already been done.

Apart from the fact that a single individual cannot justly to himself or the interests of the State, be charged with ~~[unclear?]~~ a task of the magnitude of a Survey like this, because it involves ^an ~~the~~^ undue ~~duration~~ delay in its execution, there are serious disadvantages attendant upon the continual change from one occupation to another which is

Page 23

is as distinct from the first as ~~that occupation~~ ^the vocation^ of the [hunter?] is from that of microscopial [ana-tomist?]; requiring also, changes of place, life and habit, which are a continual source of loss of time and, not unfrequently, of health also.—The attention of the investigator is being continually diverted from the examination of one subject to ^that of^ another; and ^all^ the drudgery which might be performed by persons of very ~~small~~ ^limited^ qualifications, who would consequently accept a salary proportionally small) is required to be performed by the hands of the Principal himself—certainly no better policy, than it would be to salary an architect for laying brick. This is the case in the laboratory as well as in the field, in each of which, a "sub-assistant" is often able to save the Principal one half ^of^ his time. Yet the field work

Page 24

of an Agricultural Survey, as com-pared with that in the laboratory, is scarcely less difficult or responsible. than the latter; for to analyze soils collected desultorily, without reference to a definite system (the carrying out of which in practice requires no little experience and discrimination) would be of very little use at best.

At the time when my last years Re-port was written, my general know-ledge of the natural phenomena of the State, was not sufficiently advanced to enable me to direct and controll all the observations of an assistant who should not possess experience enough to control himself; it was my intention therefore, if the legislature had granted the appropriation asked, to have con-tinued in the field myself, while employing a ^reliable^ professional chemist for a part of the year at least, in the

Page 25

laboratory. At the present time however, from the personal know-ledge I have since acquired of the prominent features of the whole State, I should be able to control ~~to control~~ sufficiently well the observations of an assistant, to enable me to take charge personally of the most deli-cate, ~~[unclear?]~~ responsible, and incontrollable portion of the work-the chemical analyses. I should nevertheless feel ~~[unclear?]~~ reluctant even now, to the entrust the field observations to any one who would permanently accept less than the salary suggested by me in last year, of $1500. The ~~permanence~~, in this case is of the utmost consequence; for the ^incommunicable^ personal experience, which is lost in every charge would in the end prove more expensive to the State, than a much higher salary offered at once. And I am

Page 26

well satisfied, that at the present time, the employment of a competent assistant at a salary of $1500, would greatly more than double the ~~[unclear?]~~ rate of progress, while improving the quality, of the the work ~~[done]~~—which can be performed more perfectly where several persons assist each other, as is all cases of associated labor. For the person engaged in the field will be enabled to direct his researches on the spot, in accordance with the questions suggested by analyses in progress at home; while the chemist will be ^better^ enabled to judge, which ana-lyses are necessary, and which not, by the reports be received from the field. Thus, re-surveys of one and the same region, which at present are a matter of necessity, will to a great extent be avoided, and a great deal of time saved. ~~[?]~~

Page 27

The small additional appro~~ation~~ priation of $300 for expenses, stated by me last year as being required if an assistant should be ap-pointed, will, I think, be suffi-cent for the support of both labora-tory and field work, when both departments shall be properly equipped The laboratory is even now far from ~~[?]~~ possessing ^all^ the conveniences which would ^serve to^ expedite the labors of the analist, for there is an essential difference between the necessities of a laboratory where analyses of soils can be made, and one in which hundreds of ana-lyses are required to be made in the shortest period possible. The former might be set up for $300, while for the latter, $1500 would be a moderate provision, Yet I ~~[?]~~ consider the laboratory ~~^[?]^~~ now

Page 28

established at Oxford, as ^being^ reasonably adequate to the attainment of the objects in view; so that, beyond the current expenses of laboratory work, no expensive additions will for some time be required.

~~[?] the present time then [?] [?]~~

In regard to the location of the headquarters of the Survey, ~~the~~ I would say that in view of the impracticality of the removal without a special appropriation for the purpose, and the obvious clashing of the measure with the best interests of the Survey and the State, I have ^with the approval of Gov. Mc.Willie^, not as yet complied with the requirements of the act in this respect; and I again urge most earnestly the repeal of the portion of the act which ~~[?]~~ seems to require such a transfer, as no pos—

Page 29

sible advantage to the State or the Survey would result therefrom; while the disadvantages of a removal from the University, would be most essential and discouraging. Were it even for nothing more than the assistance which ~~has been afforded~~ ^is being^ rendered me by those connected with that institution, that alone would speak overwhelmingly in favor of non-removal; but the library and collections of the University are so much needed in the study of the specimens, that the transfer of the latter of backward and forward, for this purpose ^alone^ would frequently become necessary. Both the laboratory—and collection rooms have been assigned to the Survey by the Board of Trustees, without any expense to the State arising therefrom; the accommo-

Page 30

Page 31

Even thus, the more accurate know-ledge of soils and the means of im-provement, have become a necessi-ty with civilized nations; and this knowledge can be most cheaply ob-tained by State Surveys, ^in^ which, we may be proud to say, American has taken the precedence of Europe, For some time, these Surveys were regarded as tending merely to the development of mineral resources; but in the course of time, they have become equally important to Agriculture. Even at the present moment Louisiana—the State where, of all, mineral deposits are out of question—is about to establish a State Survey; for although, as is the case in Mississippi, no discoveries of precious metals or ores can be anticipated there, the developments with reference to Agriculture will be all the more important. If Mississippi is to continue what she is, or shortly will be—the foremost among the cotton growing states;

Page 32

if Agriculture is to continue the chief occupation of her inha-bitants; then it is high time ~~she~~ for her to be ~~[unclear?]~~ providing for a knowledge of the most economical means of maintaining, or restoring to the ferti-lity of her lands; and the only manner in which this can be done with any reason able expense to the individual, is the prompt and thorough execution of a Geo-logical and Agricultural Survey which teaches us what are the wants of our soils, and what means are naturally provided for supplying them. The deterioration of our soils by an irrational and exhaustive cultivation, does not only diminish the quantity of the product, ^[while ?] [?] its cost to the^ [best ?] [...] producer, also injures the quality of our staple, and is fast encouraging a competition ~~[?]~~ with our cotton—growers,