10 Economical Geology. 



superior cultivation that has been bestowed upon that part of the State, 

 Still, such luxuriance as we there witness such fine fruit especially 

 could not be produced without a soil naturally excellent. 



Iron Ore. 



No ore except iron occurs in sufficient quantity in the State to de- 

 serve notice in an agricultural point of view. In the west part of 

 Worcester County, the soil for a width of several miles across the 

 whole State, is so highly impregnated with the oxide of iron, as to 

 receive from it a very deep tinge of what is called iron rust. This is 

 particularly the case in the low grounds; where are frequently found 

 beds of bog ore. I do not know very definitely the effect of this iron 

 upon vegetation ; but judging from the general excellence of the farms 

 in the Brookfields, Sturbridge, Hard wick, New Braintree, Barre, 

 Hubbardston, &c., I should presume it to be good. Certainly it can- 

 not be injurious ; for no part of the County exceeds the towns just 

 named in the appearance of its farming interest ; and nearly all the 

 County, as may be seen by the map, is of one formation. It would 

 be an interesting problem, which in that county can be solved, to 

 determine the precise influence of a soil highly ferruginous upon veg- 

 etation, 



Steatite, Serpentine, Scapolite Rock, Limestone. 



The next rocks, in an ascending order upon the tablets attached to 

 the map, are steatite or soapstone, serpentine and scapolite rock. 

 But they are of such limited extent as to deserve no notice in this con- 

 nection. The next rock, namely, limestone, is found only in Berk- 

 shire County, in quantities sufficient to modify the soil over much ex- 

 tent of surface. But in that county it occupies most of the vallies ; 

 while the mountains are chiefly mica slate. And the fertility of these 

 vallies is a striking evidence of the good influence of disintegrated 

 and decomposing carbonate of lime upon the soil. Indeed, I believe 

 that it is generally thought in Europe, that soils of this description 

 are more productive than any other, except rich alluvions. And I ap- 

 prehend that one of the greatest deficiencies in the soil of the princi- 

 pal part of Massachusetts, is the absence of lime. Probably if our 

 farmers could procure this article at a moderate expense, its applica- 

 tion as a manure would amply reward them for their trouble. Lime- 

 stone that contains much magnesia, is, indeed, said to be injurious to 

 vegetation, unless it; be upon peaty soil, or soil containing much veg- 



