valleys, in which the soil, differing from that of the hills, is fertile 

 and often highly cultivated. The subjacent rocks of these valleys 

 is a blue limestone of the ancient secondary date. 



The perfect levelness of certain tracts forms a singular and 

 striking feature in some of these valleys, and in the parts of the 

 red sandstone region bordering the southeastern base of the 

 Highlands. These " plains" are in some instances extensive 

 natural jneadows, which are in many cases underlaid by beds of 

 peat. Among them are the Pompton, Succasunny and Morris 

 Plains. The substratum of these plains is commonly a deep de- 

 posit of diluvial gravel. 



The third and remaining district, into which the northern half 

 of the State naturally divides itself, comprising a large part of 

 the counties of Sussex and Warren, is embraced between the 

 nortinvestern base of the Highlands, already traced, and the 

 Delaware river. A broad and fertile valley, occupying rather 

 more than three-fourths of this district, and bounded on the south- 

 east by the base of the Highlands, and on the northwest by the 

 foot of the Blue and Kittatinny Mountains, extends throughout 

 its whole length, from the New York state line southwestward 

 to the Delaware river. 



The average width of this comparatively level belt of country, 

 the proper name of which is the Kittatinny Valley, is between 

 nine and ten miles, while its length, from the New York Hne to 

 the Delaware, is about forty miles. It is drained throughout two- 

 thirds of its entire length by the Paulinskill, which flows nearly 

 centrally along it to the Delaware. The other portion next New 

 York is watered by the Wallkill and its sources. Its surface is 

 moderately uneven, presenting the aspect of a gently rolling 

 plain, intersected here and there by abrupt ravines and the 

 valleys of the streams. It presents many knolls and low ridges, 

 which become more numerous and elevated as we approach the 

 base of the Blue Mountain. 



Two varieties of rock, limestone and slate, ranging in several 

 parallel belts, some of them throughout its entire length, compose 

 the strata of this valley. The widest zones of the limestone occur 

 in the southeastern half of the valley, while along the north- 

 western side a broad belt of the slate extends parallel with the 

 base of the Blue Mountain, It has many tracts of highly fertile 

 soil, especially where the limestone underlies the surface. 



