26 Geology of Massachusetts. 
- Compact variety from Conway; carbonate of lime 58 parts; 
siliceous residuum 42 parts. 
3. Poorest from Whately ; carbonate of lime 67 parts: siliceous 
residuum 33. 
I tried some specimens of our best limestones in the same manner, 
with the following results : : 
1, Gray limestone from New Marlborough ; carbonate of lime, 
98 parts: residuum (chiefly mica) 2 parts. 
2. Gray limestone from Walpole; carbonate of lime 92 parts: 
residuum 8, 
3. White crystalline, from Boxborough; carbonate of lime, 99 
parts: residuum 1 part. 
It is my decided opinion that the limestone along the Connecticut, 
described above, may be usefully employed either for mortar, or for 
spreading upon the soil. ‘The beds of it are quite numerous in all 
the towns where they are occasionally marked. I think, however, 
that the best variety occurs in Whately, where, should it ever come 
into use, on the north line of the town, is a hill large enough to sup- 
ply the whole valley of the Connecticut for centuries. This local- 
ity is favorably situated for working, so as to furnish that valley; be- 
ing not more than two or three miles from the Connecticut, and the 
whole distance nearly level. I cannot but hope that the attention of 
some enterprising gentleman may be directed to this subject; and 
should he succeed in preparing even tolerable lime from this rock, 
he would confer a great favor upon the inhabitants of that section of 
the State. 
A large portion of the limestone in Berkshire is excellent for burn-* 
ing into quick lime: and even in several towns where none of the 
rock occurs in ledges, so abundant are the loose masses, transported 
thither by a current of water in early times, that it is burnt in consid- 
erable quantities. This is the case in Windsor, Peru, &c., from 
whence lime is transported in wagons to the valley of the Connecticut. 
Probably, however, a still larger proportion of the lime used in 
that valley, particularly in its northern part, is brought from Whiting- 
ham, Vt., a town lying directly north of Rowe in Franklin county. 
This limestone is white and crystalline, and it exists in large quanti- 
ties. It approaches within a few rods of the Massachusetts line, and 
may even pass over it in some places. 
_ An interesting bed of limestone of a peculiar character, has been 
discovered, within a few years, in the valley of the Connecticut at 
