WARREN COUNTY. 175 



' In the granite of Athol, the manganese often appears incrusting llie surfaces of the feldspar, 

 mostly in the form of dendritic impressions. As the granite disintegrates and decomposes, 

 the manganese also undergoes some change, by which it is converted into the coloring matter 

 of the clay, and of course is very equally diffused through the mass. Subsequently, how- 

 ever, affinity again brings together the particles of those oxides in the form of globular con- 

 cretions, which now exist in independent masses in the beds of clay. Carrying our views a 

 little farther, we may suppose these same beds of clay to be subjected once more to the internal 

 fires ; we should then see reproduced the original granitic rock. We have, in all these clianges 

 and transformations, beautiful illustrations of the alterations which may take place in the state 

 and composition which the solid materials composing the rocks may undergo by a modification 

 of the force of affinity. We have, too, abundant evidence that matter, though inert in itself, 

 obeys the impidse of an invisible intangible power, which, though slow in its operation, yet 

 always in the end produces many striking results. 



The clay of Athol has been sufficiently tested, so far as its qualities are concerned, for us 

 to determine its capability of being employed for china-ware, or the finer kinds of pottery. 

 How large a quantity may exist, or how extensive the deposit may be, requires farther ex- 

 ploration, as those means of trial formed no part of the duty of the geological surveyors. 

 In its appearance and mode of occurrence, it resembles the same substance as it occurs in 

 France and England. It is uniformly composed of apparently different materials, or those 

 whose colors vary exceedingly, some of which are snow-white, while others in contact are 

 a deep red or pink. This being the case, it always requires careful separation, by paring off 

 the colored portions from the white or pure masses. In addition to this, washing is resorted 

 to, to effect a perfect separation of all that may color the paste. This labor, however, is 

 performed by children and females, and hence is not particularly expensive. The manufacture 

 of porcelain, and the finer kinds of earthern-ware, is, however, expensive, and requires a 

 heavy investment of capital ; and hence the probability is, that the porcelain clay of Warren 

 county will not be employed for many years, at least for the kind of ware for wdiich it is spe- 

 cially adapted. Still there are some subordinate uses for which it might be employed. The 

 white clay is soft to the touch, and free from that meagre harsh feel which is common to many 

 varieties of clay. This is due partly to the exceeding fineness of the particles, and partly to 

 the presence of a magnesian substance resembling talc, which is intermixed in the form of 

 thin white scales. 



Primitive Limestone. 



This rock is of more frequent occurrence than granite ; its beds, however, are generally 

 quite limited in extent, or rather frequently interrupted so as to appear as separate and inde- 

 pendent masses. The characters of this rock have been fully given in the general account 

 of the rocks of the Second district. 



From an inspection of the location and position of the beds of limestone, it appears that 

 the county is traversed by a broad belt of this rock, in the direction of the mountain chains, 

 occupying at all times the lowest geopraphical position, or at least never forming the summit 



