SALT MANUFACTURED. 187 



put down. Tills shows that the comparatively fresh- 

 water from above, in percolating through the strata of 

 the salt-group to the bottom of the valley in which the 

 drift lies, becomes impregnated with salt contained in 

 these strata ; but no facts have yet been observed which 

 justify any confident opinion as to the actual existence 

 of beds of solid rock-salt in this formation. 



The quantity of water pumped up and consumed in 

 the summer and autumn, when the salt-manufacture is 

 most active, amounts to about 2,000,000 of gallons a-day, 

 yielding about 35,000 bushels of salt, weighing 56 pounds 

 each. The total annual production of salt in 1848 was 

 4,700,000 bushels. The Importance of this production 

 of salt, in reference to the consumption and wants, not 

 only of the State of New York, but of the whole United 

 States, will appear, on comparing the above quantity 

 with the importations of foreign salt into the port of 

 New York, and into those of the whole Union respec- 

 tively, in 1848 — and with the whole quantity consumed 

 in the State of New York and by the inhabitants of the 

 United States. Thus there was 



Manufactured at Syracuse, . 4,737,126 bushels. 

 Imported at Xew York, . 1,882,473 



Imported into the United States, 8,967,600 ... 



so that the manufacture at Syracuse is equal to one-half 

 of the entire foreign Importation into the States. 



As to the relation of the quantity manufactured to 

 the actual wants of the State, it was shown some years 

 ago by Mr Meriam, that the quantity of salt consumed 

 in the United States was at the rate of three pecks (42 

 lbs.) to each individual. Assuming the population of the 

 State of New York to be 3,000,000, and that of the 

 whole Union 20,000,000, In round numbers, the whole 

 consumption will be — 



For the State of New York, . 2,250,000 bushels. 

 For the United States, . 15,000,000 ... 



