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there are not cases enough to properly do it; moreover, the entire room is not sufficiently large for a State collection, especially such a large State as Texas. A separate building is needed for this purpose; a small portion of this for a chemical laboratory, and the remainder for specimens. A botanical. and zoological department can be added to the survey with comparatively little additional cost. The botanist can test the strength of the different woods of the State, and ascertain, as far as possible, their durability; tell us of our best grasses for hay and pasturage, and about the most useful plants, making collections of all these for the State Museum, where, if a full collection of specimens of the mineral, geological, vegetable and animal productions of the State are arranged, and shown, it will be one of the most useful and attractive places of resort at the South. There a person could, in a few hours, learn more about Texas than lie would in months of travel. It will be a, pleasant and instructive place of resort to both old and young. The old capitals of Europe are noted for their splendid and extensive museums of natural history, imitations of which are now being made in the principal cities of the United States. Let Texas join them in this good and noble work. She has material for a larger, better, and more attractive collection, than any State in the Union.

Such a museum here would draw more capital and people to the State, than would pay the expense of making it.

HOW A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IS MADE.

That the management of a geological survey is not well understood by many, is shown from the numerous applications made to this department for situations, from surveyors and topographical engineers. Some have applied for the purpose of carrying a surveyor's chain. The geologist does not survey a region with compass and chain. He merely examines the strata of rocks, the soils, acid general features of the country, making notes of its natural productions, its climate, etc. From the fossils, which are the animal and vegetable remains in the rocks, lie ascertains their geological age and position with regard to the other rocks of the country, from which he infers, whether or not they are productive of minerals, and, if so, the nature of those minerals. To arrive at these inferences, he also observes the lithological character of the rocks.