Item #4902 Supplementary and Final Report of a Geological Reconnoissance of the State of Louisiana, Made Under the Auspices of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences, and of the Bureau of Immigration of the State of Louisiana, in May and June, 1869. Eugene W. Hilgard.

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Supplementary and Final Report of a Geological Reconnoissance of the State of Louisiana, Made Under the Auspices of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences, and of the Bureau of Immigration of the State of Louisiana, in May and June, 1869.

New Orleans: Picayune Steam Job Print, 1873. 12mo (23.5 x 14.5 cm), yellow self-wrappers. 44 pp.

A report on the geology of Louisiana by the “American Father of Soil Science.”

Conducted under the auspices of the New Orleans Academy of Science, the findings published in this pamphlet are the result of an expedition carried out by Eugene W. Hilgard (1833–1916), the preeminent expert on the soils of southwestern states. Hilgard was a German-born American chemist, agriculturalist, geologist, and at this time served as the State Geologist for Mississippi as well as Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the University of Mississippi. As noted in the introduction, the primary object of Hilgard’s expedition was to identify the general geological features and mineral resources of the State, and at the same time, to make such observations concerning its topographical, agricultural and botanical features as time and opportunity permitted, the publication of which would serve to highlight the states advantages and promote settlement.

Some of the thirty-seven regions of Louisiana studied include Attakapas Prairies, Cote Gelee country, the Opelousas Prairies, Chicotville, the Anacoco Region, Sabine Parish, Dolet Hills—Iron Ores, Red River Bottom, King’s Salt Works, Silicy Island; The Loess, and so on. Various tables and charts are provided throughout.

During the Civil War, Hilgard worked as a scientist for the Confederacy and would remain an ardent Southern supporter throughout life.

CONDITION: Good; front cover-page partially detached, minor chipping at front and back covers, moderate foxing, the final 9 leaves and back cover-page bear a 2” soiling stain at upper-right corner and some of these pages bear a 1” loss to the corner of the page.

Item #4902

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