372 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Limestones. 



You have mentioned manj' localities of limestone in Aroostook 

 county. The upper half of the county is what may be called, in 

 one sense, a limestone country, on account of the frequency with 

 which tliis stone is found associated with other rock. Still, but 

 few localities, comparatively speaking, have been found where 

 quarries have been successfully opened for the burning of the rock 

 in kilns for quick-lime. 



On the slope of the hill or rise of the second terrace from the 

 river, on the farm of Mr. Phips in Plymouth, (opposite Fort Fair- 

 field,) are found fragments of limestone containing a good deal of 

 calcareous spar. In company with J. B. Trafton, Esq., Dr. Decker 

 and Mr. Phips, I examined the spot with a view of finding the exact 

 locality from which these fragments came. We did not ascertain 

 it precisely, but it is evidently near the brow of the slope, and will 

 probably be found by removing a few feet of soil. 

 - In the south-eastern part of the town (Fort Fairfield), Deacon 

 Fowler opened a quarry on his farm a few years since, where he 

 obtained a very good quality of lime. The stone is of the strati- 

 fied, compact blue variety, and improves in quality the deeper he 

 gets into the quarr3^ He had just finished burning a kiln of one 

 hundred casks while I was there, which met with ready sale at 

 remunerating prices. 



In Linneus, near the house of P. P. Burleigh, Esq., I observed 

 a locality of stratified limestone, which evidently contains a large 

 proportion of silicious matter. Specimens of this are also for- 

 warded for your examination, with a query whether it has the 

 requisite ingredients for making hydraulic lime ? 



Magnetic Iron. 



In the north-western section of Linneus, iron ore is found, com- 

 bined with the slate; and thus presenting a stratified arrangement. 

 This slate varies in its impregnation of iron. Some of it undoubt- 

 edly contains a large percentage ; and in one or two of the locali- 

 ties specimens were obtained that are strongly magnetic. I have 

 forwarded specimens of all varieties for your examination. Should 

 it be found sufficiently rich for smelting, any amount of it could be 

 obtained to supply the furnace, wliilc lime for a flux is abundant 

 in the neighborhood, and an inexhaustible supply of charcoal could 

 be made from the adjacent forest. 



