152 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tlie stones upon and around the higher elevations — for all soils are 

 made up from rocks, by the various destructive operations to which 

 they arc subjected. This breaking up of rocks is effected by 

 many stupendous processes constantly going on in nature, among 

 which are volcanic action, floods, ice and snow. These are re- 

 garded by geologists as active agents in producing changes in the 

 forms of rocks. They are moreover constantly acted upon by the 

 atmosphere, rain, frost and heat, undergoing a slow but sure pro- 

 cess of decay. Fragments are detached by frost, or some of the 

 means before mentioned, they separate into smaller pieces and at 

 last crumble to powder. This is moved by the winds, and washed 

 by rains into the lower places, where, acting with the remains of 

 vegetable and animal organizations, they constitute the soils of our 

 valleys and plains. 



There is nothing peculiar to the geological formation of Somerset 

 count}^ unless it be the want of a distinguishing characteristic ; 

 and from this fact, my remarks will, of course, be brief. A large 

 proportion of the county — especially the northern — is underlaid 

 by a flinty slate ledge, the strata running northeast and southwest, 

 while the southern and eastern part is underlaid by gneiss. This 

 is a stratified rock composed of layers of quartz, mica and feldspar, 

 while granite is an unstratified rock, composed of mixed crystals of 

 quartz, feldspar and mica, united without cement. Therefore the 

 soils formed by the decomposition of granite, contain the same 

 elements as those formed by the decomposition of gneiss. 



In most of the towns in the county, gneiss, or some form of 

 granite (in boulders or ledges) is found in sufficient quantities for 

 underpinning, walls, general building purposes, such as cellars, 

 basements, &c. In the southwestern part of the county, in Nor- 

 ridgewock, there is a granite quarry on Dodlin hill, which has been 

 in operation many years, and lias proved a source of considerable 

 income. The county jail which was built at Norridgewock in 1810, 

 was of Dodlin granite, and also the piers and abutments of the 

 bridge across the Kennebec at Norridgewock, and of the railroad 

 bridge at Skowhegan. With increased facilities for transporation, 

 the business of tliis quarry would soon become of more importance 

 than ever. Quarries of granite have also been worked to some 

 extent in Skowhegan, and at Mount Tom in Smithfield, also in 

 Ilartland. 



Making an analysis of the limestone found in Norridgewock, Dr. 

 Jackson remarks, (Report 111, p. 19) : " In order to ascertain how 



