12 Mr. Barnes^ Section of the Caiiian Mountain^ ^c. 



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L 



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vulpina or frost grape grows abundantly, apd overtops ma- 

 ny of the trees of the second growth. The limestone rocks 

 are the favourite haunt of the helix albolabris of Say the 

 common snail, retaining t^e same manners as in ancient 

 times, " inter saxa repentes.^^* 



. The third step in ascending Canaan mountain, brings us 

 to a tbin stratum of white quartZj which appears to have 

 furnished the bowlders before mentioned. This rock is fa- 

 hular^ the tables standing very nearly perpendicular, and in 

 many places it exhibits regular crystals on the edges(k) of 

 equal thickness with the tables. The specimen(c) before 

 you has a surface of fifty square inches, and is about one 

 inch thick- This was procured at the surface and detached 

 with a crow-bar- By making a small excavation, and using 

 wedges, it is believed much larger tables might be obtained. 

 This rock mixes on the one side with the limi$tone(\) and 

 on the other, with argillaceous slate(m) which is the fovrth 

 Btratum of our section. This slate presents a considerable 

 diversity of colour and structure. Some of it is soft and 

 earthy, while other specimens are hard and flinty. Its col- 

 ours &re light grey, green, ferruginous, and dark blue ap- 

 proaching to black. Some specimens both of the lime- 

 stone and the slate are glazed on their edges with talc\o) 

 crystals of pyrites (p) are numerous, and some of them are 

 an inch in diameter, but have very little or no lustre On 

 their faces. They seem to have been formed before the 

 slate, which is in many instances heiit round them.(q) This 

 slate covers all the hills of a moderate height in the vicini- 

 ty. The soil of these hills, which w^as formerly esteemed 

 very poor, is now much improvedf and constantly growing 

 better; w-hile the contrary is observed of the valleys, whiclj 

 will probably continue to deti^^riorate, until our farmers shall 

 learn to plough fewer acres, and manure those better. The 

 timber of this part of our section and that which grows on 

 corresponding heights of the circumjacent hills is principal- 

 ly chesnut, castanea Americana; much used for fences and 

 building; white birch, Betula papyracea; white oak, ^xier- 

 tits alba; *Mhe most useful timber tree in America ;"|: 



* Vide SaHust. Bell. Juj. Cap. xciii. 

 t See Spafford's Gazetteer, and Eaton's ladex. % E^ton. 



