labor performed; in short, keep an account of everything done, so that one can tell, when the account has been made up, whether it will be profitable to raise a crop of the same article another year. He cited an example of the importance of keeping an account. He had to pay a year ago about thirty cents a bushel for threshing his wheat and barley by hiring a machine, and feeding and keeping the men and teams. He found that he must economize, and accordingly hired two men last fall to thresh in the old way, and found that the cost was only six cents a bushel for barley, wheat not yet threshed. Accordingly, he should give it as his opinion that farmers who have only a small amount of grain to thresh, should have it done with flails instead of hiring a machine to do it. He believed that the keeping of an account was as necessary as any other part of the business of farming.

Mr. Porter said that since he commenced farming, he had kept an account of everything. He took bills of everything bought, and kept an account of everything sold, even to the most trifling article. He could thus look back to any year and find exactly how much he had gained or lost. This, in his opinion, is the only way to get along. It was also a great benefit to the farmer by keeping him fresh in the habit of writing. If any man found that he could not make farming pay, after keeping a strict account, he should advise him to leave the business.

Mr. Rogers liked the report very much. He feared, however, that the importance of keeping a system of farm accounts was too little impressed upon the minds of farmers. It would be a great saving to them if they would adopt it.

Mr. Goodale said that if a farmer would keep only a record of each day's transactions, it would soon lead to habits of thought, and cause them to make closer calculations. He had asked the • most successful dairy farmer in the State how much more a pound of butter cost than a pound of beef, he could not tell exactly but said that he could obtain a pound of butter about as cheap as he could a pound of beef. How many farmers could answer such a question? but they ought to be able to. Every one should be able to tell what he can make in any particular branch, and follow that in which he can best make a living.

The report was unanimously adopted.

Dr. Weston, for committee on seventh topic, submitted the following report:

By what means can the natural advantages of Maine be best made known, and capital and population attracted hither?

A mere superficial glance at our broad domain, with its ample coasts, spacious bays and harbors; with its numerous rivers at convenient distances, extending their long branches far into the interior, and abounding with many a busy water-fall; with its fertile meadows, broad fields, swelling hills and ancient forests, must convince any one of its facilities for commerce, manufactures, and agriculture.

But notwithstanding our almost incalculable resources, if we consult the statistics of our population from 1790 to 1860, they disclose the fact of a gradual decrease of percentage during every decade. In 1800 the increase of population the preceeding ten years was 57.16 per cent.; 1810, 50.74; 1820, 30.45; 1830, 33.89; 1840, 25.62; 1850, 16.22, and in 1860 but 6.86 per cent. From these census returns, it is apparent that the average decennial increase, from 1790 to 1850 was 35 per cent., and that the increase the last ten years has been less than one-fifth of the average for the sixty preceeding years. A comparison of the recent returns from the several counties, show that Aroostook and Penobscot have each made a larger gain in population than all the State west of the Kennebec River, and both together have gained almost as much as all the other fourteen counties, indicating that our future principal increase may naturally be expected in the unsettled territory of the north-eastern portion of the State.

During this same period, many of the western States possessing no more productive soil than our own Aroostook valley have increased in population and wealth and influence at a rapid and constantly accelerating rate.

Under these circumstances, the inquiry pertinently occurs, how can this downward movement be arrested? how can new energy and vitality be infused into a State which has prematurely begun to evince symptoms of approaching decay? Our power of recuperation, our own resources must be discovered.

An all bountiful Providence has conferred upon us a large estate, equal in extent to all the rest of New England. It is believed to contain undiscovered minerals and metals, quarries of granite, marble, slate, lime, and perhaps coal; it is supposed to contain a great variety of materials very useful in the arts, manufactures and agriculture, and as we ourselves, from our education and varied avocations are not qualified to search successfully for them, we

need an agent whose mind has been disciplined by scientific training, whose eye has become keen by investigation and practice in past explorations, to make a minute and extensive scientific survey of the State, embracing its geology, agricultural resources, natural history and physical geography. It is believed that “such a survey, ably conducted, and faithfully reported, would greatly tend to develope and improve its agriculture, determine its mineral wealth, increase its mechanical and manufacturing interests, and assist in supplying our educational wants; and that it would moreover attract population, capital and enterprise from abroad."

The future welfare of the State requires prompt and speedy action on the part of the Legislature to initiate steps which would secure so desirable a consummation. In view of the possible results to be attained by such investigations and reports, the cost should not be regarded, for by means of them, doubtless the aggregate wealth would ultimately be largely increased with a correspondingly increased revenue from taxable property. The utility and value of such explorations are no longer doubtful. New York, Virginia and Massachusetts have expended thousands in this way and realized millions. Many other States have had partial or general surveys, and such have been the resulting advantages that the cost has been forgotten, the expenditure never regretted.

An appropriation of $4,000 or $5,000 a year would undoubtedly secure the service of some young man who has had a thorough scientific education, and some practical experience, and the necessary assistants.

Having a reputation to make, such an individual for less compensation would enter upon the work with zeal and ambition, and would prosecute it to successful completion. The season when such investigations can be profitably conducted is not long, and by selecting and improving the best months for the purpose, the enterprise can be more economically prosecuted.

More than twenty years ago, a survey was commenced by Dr. C. T. Jackson, and continued some three years, and the facts ascertained were published in three annual reports. It was then suspended. This was a mere beginning. It was necessarily very imperfect. It was chiefly confined to the towns on our seacoast and rivers, and a few of the more populous towns of the interior; still it was not an unprofitable investment. It attracted attention to our resources; it intimated that vast wealth exists beneath the surface of our soil only awaiting discovery to contrib

ute to our growth and prosperity; it disclosed the richness and fertility of our unoccupied land; it ascertained by analysis the deficiencies of some soils, and the materials in the neighborhood to remove their barrenness. It may serve as a basis for future operations. This work needs to be speedily resumed and conducted more minutely, and more thoroughly, under the superintendence of some scientific man who will enter upon this undertaking with enthusiasm, and with an eye to all our industrial pursuits as well as to his own compensation.

The crust of the earth is largely composed of rocks of different groups and ages, some unstratified, being aggregates of mineral substances mingled together; others stratified or arranged in concentric sheets like the layers of an onion. The rocks, which exist in strata, are considered as sedimentary deposits from water, originally arranged in regular horizontal layers. In process of time these sheets, by various agencies were tilted up so as to incline at various angles from the original horizontal line, and expose their edges. Rocks are again divided, according to age, into primary, transition and secondary. By the action of air, water, varying temperatures snd chemical laws, rocks have been decomposed, soils have been produced, and rendered fertile by a proper mixture of mineral ingredients with animal and vegetable matter; and so we have the tertiary formation. Then we find the diluvial deposit, the work of a long past deluge which has swept along the loose materials in its way, and left them far from their original beds.

A geological survey signifies an examination of the nature and situation of these various strata. It determines the kinds or species of rocks, their arrangement and relative age, the ores and minerals which are their associates, their extent, their value as articles of merchandise, and the agricultural characteristics of the several localities.

Many of our rocks, minerals and soils, have a positive pecuniary value. Maine has inexhaustible quarries of granite favorably situated on navigable waters. They need only to be discovered, made known, and wrought to furnish building material enough for the whole world. The southern and western States are entirely destitute, and need abundant supplies. Massachusetts, which expended liberally for a survey is realizing a bountiful reward from this demand. Her granite quarries have yielded more than all the gold mines of the southern Atlantic States. The granite on our

seaboard has been partially explored, but that of the inland localities is yet to be examined. As it is difficult to transport this heavy material by land carriage, and as it is everywhere needed, it is important that it be discovered in every township where it exists. For strength, durability and beauty, it stands at the head of all building materials.

Marble, particularly that highly prized variety called serpentine, or verd-antique,* has been found in considerable quantities. If it can be wrought to advantage, it would become an important article of commerce. It requires farther investigation. Epsom salts, magnesia and venetian red can easily be manufactured from it, and hydraulic cement from green marble. Free stone in great quantity exists, and may be advantageously quarried for buildings.

Maine surpasses all other States in the abundance of its limestones. Its manufacture into lime in Rockland and vicinity, has given employment to a large population. Its transportation has furnished freight to a numerous fleet of coasting vessels, and supplied all our Atlantic cities with this necessary article. Doubtless, enough can be found in other localities in the interior for the improvement of soils and other purposes.

It is supposed there is slate enough on the banks of the Piscataquis to cover the roofs of every building in the country. If the cost of transportation should be materially reduced by the construction of a railroad from Bangor to that region, it would be used in preference to any other, being inferior to none; and the general demand for it would bring into existence a thriving manufacturing village, which would stimulate agricultural industry, and make an additional home market. It is important that the full extent of this quarry should be ascertained, as it is probable that only a small fractional part is yet known.

Mica slates, used extensively for side-walks are abundant. Milkwhite quartz has been discovered in large masses, which might profitably be made into excellent flint glass, also granular quartz and pure white sand, well adapted for the manufacture of window glass of the best quality.

Felspar abounds, superior to that used for making the famous Sevres, porcelain and china ware, and it only requires skill and experience to make such ware equal to any foreign importation, and sufficient for the demand of every family.

* See Jackson's Second Report on the Geology of Maine, pp. 123.