176 [Senate 



influence from the minerals it contains. The Water lime group has 

 a thickness of only from thirty to eighty feet, and passes across the 

 county from east to west, immediately above the salt group. It is 

 of more consequence to the arts than to agriculture, affecting the 

 soils but in a very limited degree. The Oriskany sandstone has a 

 still less thickness than the hydraulic limestone, but from the nature 

 of its constituents it occupies a conspicuous place among the modify- 

 ing agents of the soils near its outcrop. It passes across the county, 

 in the towns of Manlius, Onondaga, Camillus and Eibridge. The 

 Onondaga limestone is the stone so extensively used for quarrying, 

 yet rarely exceeds more than fourteen feet in thickness. It extends 

 across the county, in connection with the sandstone, and though li- 

 mited in area, exerts a favorable influence wherever it appears. It 

 passes across the county near the boundaries of Pompey and Manli- 

 us, and north of the central parts of Onondaga, Marcellus and Skane- 

 ateles. The Corniferous and its upper member, the Seneca lime- 

 stones^ appears above the Onondaga limestone, and pursues the same 

 course across the county. Its influence is limited, but good. The 

 thick mass called the Marcellus shales^ lies above these limestones, 

 and occupies the northern half of Pompey and La Fayette, the south 

 half of Onondaga, nearly the whole of Marcellus, and the north half of 

 Skaneateles. The Hamilton group is above this, and covers the south 

 parts of Pompey and La Fayette, nearly the whole of Otisco, part of 

 Marcellus, the south part of Skaneateles, and the north part of Spaf- 

 ford. The Tally limestone follows, but its extent as well as its in- 

 fluence is limited. It is found in Fabius, Tully, Otisco, and Spaff"ord. 

 The rocks which have been mentioned, are the ones which most af- 

 fect the soil and agriculture of the county, only a few of the highest 

 hills in Fabius, Tully and SpafFord, being capped with the rocks 

 of the Portage groupj the space between this and the Tully lime- 

 stone being occupied by the Genesee shale, which covers a large part 

 of Fabius, Tully and Spaff"ord. A glance at the map will show the 

 direction of strata named, and the parts of the county occupied by 

 thern. 



The thickness of these several masses may be estimated as follows: 



Clinton group, .... 100 feet. 



Niagara " 150 " 



Onondaga salt, 800 '' 



Water lime, 70 " 



Oriskany Sandstone, 20 " 



Onondaga limestone, 14 " 



Corniferous " 80 " 



Marcellus shales, 400 " 



Hamilton Group, 300 " 



Tully limestone, 20 " 



Genesee slate, 200 " 



Portage group, 150 " 



2,304 « 



