154 



FARMERS' REGISTER— CALCAREOUS ROCK, &c. 



book I find that seven years ago I cultivated the 

 same field in corn, and that upon the 8th day of 

 June, we ceased to cultivate it: this year we must, 

 cultivate it.to the 15th July— so much for diti'er- 

 ence of" seasons. 



JEREMIAH. 



CALCAREOUS ROCK IN PRINCE EDWARD. 



To the Editor of the Fanners' Begiiter. 



Sydney College, it contains the following .constitu- 

 ents and proportions in one hundred grains. 



Carbonate of lime, 



" " magnesia. 



" " soda, 



Oxide of iron, 



lathe first number of your first volume, is a 

 communication from me, on the subject of argil- 

 laceous marl, containing also such a description 

 of the local peculiarities of the region in which 

 this substance is found, as I could give, without a 

 regular knowledge of geology. In a note append- 

 ed to that communication, you were ])lcased to re- 

 gard the discovery of this mineral manure, as pro- 

 raising benefit to the agriculture of our state. Al- 

 though the expression of this opinion, was highly 

 gratifying to my feelings, I considered it best, on 

 account of the necessity of directing my laboring 

 force to other matters, and the extreme difficulty 

 of suitably operating on so excessively tenacious 

 a clay, to await the resvdt of applications already 

 made, before making preparations for the general 

 diffusion of marl over my land. I moreover hoped, 

 that by occasionally devoting some time to the 

 search, I might discover something richer in cal- 

 careous matter than the weal< marl already found; 

 for, in the note above alluded to, you remark, that 

 " the sources from which the fiuid calcareous 

 matter exudes, and which concretes by age, are 

 probably much richer; and searching for them by 

 boring would probably repay the labor." I have 

 accordingly spread but little marl for the last year, 

 but hav^e been watching, as I found opportunity, 

 for something better. It is pro]ier, however, that 

 I should state, that I can show very promising 

 young clover on land manured only with marl, 

 which I considered, two years ago, as poor as any 

 in this county. 



Having succeeded, as I think, in discovering one 

 of the sources of the marl on my land, I lay an 

 account of it before you for publication, if you think 

 proper. 



In a ditch, mentioned to you in a previous letter, 

 now washed into a deep guUey, I found a conside- 

 rable quantity ofseienite and calcareous concretions 

 imbedded in the clay. These materials, I observ- 

 ed, could be traced from the mouth of the guUey, 

 in considerable abundance, up to a ledge of rock 

 crossing the gully; but scarcely any such things 

 could be discovered above the ledge. Moreover, 

 immediately about the ledge, was a deposite of 

 marl, much richer tlian any I had previously seen on 

 my land. These circumstances led me to suspect 

 that the rock itself was calcareous; and on break- 

 ing a piece of it, and applying acid, I witnessed a 

 considerable effervescence. 



The ledge at its outrunning appears to be five 

 or six feet in thickness. The rock on the outer 

 surtlice is of a rusty yellow, or light brown — in- 

 wardly of a dark purplish gray color. On polish- 

 ino;, it becomes nearly black. Being susceptible 

 of a fine polish, it may be considered as a species 

 of marble. When undergoing a little brisk fric- 

 tion, it emits a strong odor resembling that of bone 

 filings. According to the analysis made by my 

 young frieiKl Mr. George W. Dame', of Hampden 



Sulphur, 

 Copper, 



JNIangancsCj 



Silica, 



Aluminej 



Loss, 



52. 



4. 

 G. 

 8. 



3. 



4.5 



2. 



8. 



10. 



97.5 

 2.5 



100. 



grs. 



In the form of sul- 

 ])huret of copper 

 in the rock. 



I believe that common gypsum and limestone 

 are not often found in a coalfield, but that in their 

 crystalized forms (as selenite and marble) they are 

 frequently accompaniments of coal. I suspect, 

 that much of the hard dark gray rock, dug from 

 the coal pits in the counties below this, would be 

 found, on the application of acids, to be calcfireous. 



Besides the ledge of rock above mentioned, 

 there are several others of much the same ap- 

 pearance, which effervesce equally Avith acids; 

 iiut they have not been regularly analyzed. Af- 

 ter a suitable application of heat, (viz: not very 

 intense but long continued) they may be slaked 

 into a fine powder, much resembling ashes. They 

 readily become vitrified by the strongest heat of a 

 furnace. 



Whether this rock is to be useful, either in agri- 

 culture or masonry, time and experiment must 

 determine. I have, as I deemed it my duty to do, 

 stated facts, because I suspect that such rocks 

 abound in tliis middle country. I conclude with 

 hoping that others will aid in the investigation of 

 such matters. A few cents worth of muriatic acid 

 would enable any gentleman to trj^ a great many 

 rocks and earths, whether they be calcareous. 



\V. S. MORTON. 



Near Farmville, JuhjSd, 1834. 



REMARKS ON THE DISCOVERY OF CALCAREOUS ROCK 

 IN PRINCE EDWARD, AND OF THE GREEN SAND IN 

 THE LOWER COUNTIES. 



The foregoing communication furnishes a new ex- 

 ample of the discovery of valuable mineral materials 

 for manure, produced by zeal being directed to such 

 investigations, although unaided, as the writer states, 

 by any regularly acquired geological knowledge. Still, 

 imperfect as may be Dr. Morton's means for these pur- 

 suits, and confined as his views have necessarily been 

 to the narrow limits of his own neighborhood, he has 

 now and previously made known facts, and stimulated 

 others to seek and to reach similar results, which can- 

 not fail to prove of great importance to the agricultu- 

 ral improvement of Virginia. If these several facts 

 had been discovered and announced by a regularly in- 

 structed geologist and chemist, their novelty and im- 

 portance would have been sufficient to add something 

 to the name of highest reputation: and if such labors 

 had been obtained by the direction, and at the expense 

 of the governmentj that expense would already have 



