| pe ABR Ste ES Sa cereale IMUM Sl i icra SN FEB an 
sotranerniss 
Mr. Prerce on the Alluvial District of = 237 
ArT. LN otice of the Alluvial District of New-Jersey, 
with remarks on the application of the rich mari of that 
_ region to agriculture. By James Pierce, Esq. 
The triangular peninsula situated in the southern part of 
New-Jersey is bordered on the south and east by Delaware 
Bay and the ocean, on the north by the Raritan, and west 
by the river Delaware. It is about one hundred and ten 
miles in length by eighty in breadth, and is entirely alluvial. 
South of the Nevesink hills it seldom rises sixty feet above 
the sea. These hills border Amboy Bay and the entrance 
of Shrewsbury creek for several nicl and extend with di- 
minished height to the Delaware. They are elevated adja- 
cent to the sea three hundred and ten feet above its level, and 
occupy ground where formerly the waves of the ocean roll- 
ed. They rest in some places on banks of — 
and other marine relics, blended with clay and s ud. 
Above the calcareous beds is.a layer of dark clay. =) sand 
earth highly colored by oxide of iron and imbedding red- 
dish brown sand and pudding stone cemented by iron, com- 
poses the higher strata—large rocks and beds of ferrugin- 
ous sandstone, apparently in place; of a more recent forma- 
tion than the alluvial region below, and embracing sufficient 
metal to be called an ore of iron, are of frequent occur- 
rence. 
Particles of iron are blended with the sand of the beach. 
Some of the streams which descend from the top of the 
clay strata are red with oxide of iron. 
fflorescences of the sulphates of iron itd alumine a are 
often observed. Flame proceeding from the spontaneous 
combustion of gases. probably generated in nit of sulphu- 
ret of iron, has been noticed on these mountain 
The Strata of the steep eastern declivities ss exhibited 
by frequent land slips. But a small portion of the eastern 
section of the Nevesink hills is under cultivation. They 
present a woody region, in which deer are sometimes shel- 
tered. From the summit of these hills a view of the ocean 
is disclosed in grandeur unrivalled on our sea-board. The 
Coast is presented to the north-east and south as far as vis- 
ion can reach. The land prospect is extensive and inter- 
esting. 
