\ 
Remarks on the Gold Mines of Virginia. 109 
under his eye, and a part of it weighed by his own hands, and that 
the results given above, he believes to haVe been in all respects cor- 
rect, both with regard to the veins and the gold obtained from them. 
The Walton Mine, in Louisa County, forty miles S. W. of Frede- 
ricksburgh, and belonging to the Walton Mining Company. 
The tract of land in which this mine is situated, contains one hun- 
dred and four acres. The surface is formed in fine swells and de- 
pressions, presenting hills, bounded by large curves, and vallies of 
similar shape. The soil is considered as good for agriculture ; much 
better than the average of land in the gold region. ‘There are sev- 
eral good springs of water, and several branches or rivulets quite 
sufficient for the washing of gold, but not sufficiently copious for 
driving powerful machinery. The land is clothed mainly with for- 
est ; the principal kinds of trees are oak of several varieties, pine, 
hickory, and maple: a good proportion of the trees are large, and 
well fitted for building or machinery, while the rest of the growth is 
good for fuel and other si purposes. There are passable 
foun: communicating with the tract in every direction: some of 
them are good, and all are suiadic of being made so with moderate 
expense. 
The geological structure is similar to that which pervades the gold 
region of Virginia generally, as far as I have seen it. In this region 
also slaty rocks form the basis of the country ; their strata are highly 
inclined: they are not however placed on their edges, as in some 
parts of the gold country, nor dropped down to a position approach- 
ing the horizontal, as in other parts. At the place where the mine 
is opened, the strata form an angle of about thirty five degrees with 
the’ perpendicular, and their bearing, by compass, is considerably to 
the east of north. Several veins of quartz accompany the strata of 
slate, it is presumed quite through the territory. This is known to 
be the fact with the vein that is wrought, and it cannot be reasonably 
doubted that this is the fact also with all the others, whose knobs, 
evidently in place, and whose scattered ruins appear here and there 
above ground, although generally covered by forest, by soil, and by 
vegetable deposits. These veins are distinctly traced in the tract 
south, and it is believed, also, in that north ; so that the land is fully 
and distinctly marked by the characteristic features of the gold re- 
gion. ‘There are also rich deposits and veins of gold in its ee 
