Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 45.djvu/276

262 generally; regards the prospects of finding paying gold as not promising; but speaks of having observed at several places between the Ocoee and Hiawassee Rivers hydroxide of iron similar to the ore used in Middle Tennessee in the blast furnaces. "It is superfluous" he adds, "to expatiate here on the importance of iron works in a country which is not susceptible of cultivation, where there is an inexhaustible supply of wood." He suggests in this report a hypothesis that Lookout and Raccoon Mountains and the Cumberland Mountains were once connected, and that the Tennessee River cut a passage between them; and he gives reasons for believing that the old bed of the river may be found where it enters the Sequatchy Valley. A note is added to the report, giving a list of the fossils the geologist had collected during his survey. He believed that his collection, particularly of fossils characterizing the mountain limestone of Tennessee, was unrivaled. It was his desire to have them figured and described, and published as an appendix to the work of Dr. Goldfuss on organic remains, of which he had announced a translation—but "the prospect of publishing it without pecuniary loss is not flattering." The list contains nearly a hundred entries, some of which include many species.

In his fifth report, made for 1839, Dr. Troost said that he had traversed the State in many directions, and analyzed a large number of minerals, mineral soils, and other materials, which, though not belonging properly to the department of the geologist, were deemed necessary to be known as constituting sources of our national wealth. The report gives a general view of the geology of the whole State, in which all the terms are clearly and fully explained. It deals with iron ores, timber, and water powers, and points out the suitableness of the region of the Smoky Mountains for grass and stock and the cultivation of potatoes and cabbage—adding that "no country can be better calculated for the raising of sheep," Prof. Troost insisted that iron must become one of the principal sources of wealth of Middle and East Tennessee, which were even more favored in the distribution of ores than Missouri with its Iron Mountain, and "nowhere could a foundry for a national arsenal be more judiciously situated than in our State, the center of the Union, and therefore not liable to be attacked by an enemy, and yet by means of its large rivers, and soon perhaps of railroads, cannon or other arms may be transported in a short time to any point in the Union." Descriptions of iron ore and iron works are given with some detail. The list of organic remains is accompanied with descriptions and includes a hundred and sixteen entries.

The ninth report, for 1847, deals chiefly with zinc ores, their reduction, and the manufacture of zinc and brass.