NEW PUBLICATIONS- 233 



Jackson has selected the most common, and given their composi- 

 tion — for the purpose, in part, of showing the necessary composi- 

 tion of the soils — for it is from their decomposition that the soils 

 of the state are entirely formed. 



Thus, by knowing the composition of the mica, feldspar, 

 quartz, and hornblende, we obtain a proximate knowledge of the 

 soil which the rocks containing them will certainly form by de- 

 composition. Thus, feldspar contains silex, alumine, iron, and 

 potash, and sometimes soda and lithia — an alkali analogous to 

 soda. Mica, also, contains one of the alkalies. Soils, then, de- 

 rived from those bodies, will probably contain — at least in their 

 original condition — those elements, nearly in the proportion in 

 which they exist in the rocks, or in the minerals composing the 

 '•ocks. 



The most important metallic minerals of New-Hampshire are 

 he oxides of iron, sulphate of zinc, copper, and arsenic ; and 

 )xide of tin. Iron has been profitably manufactured at Franconia, 

 rom the magnetic ore. In Bartlett, very large veins of this ore 

 lave been discovered. Zinc, though it has never been made in 

 his country, Dr. Jackson has very satisfactorily proved may be, 

 t a moderate profit, at least. The tin ores have been dis- 

 overed in Jackson in sufficient quantities to repay the expense of 

 xtraction. The tin ores are in veins, and are the first, and in 

 act, the only ones which have been discovered in this country, 

 t is a mineral which is very liable to be overlooked, from its want 

 f that strong metallic lustre peculiar to most metals and ores, 

 t always occurs in the primary rocks, and hence a very large pro- 

 ortion of New-York may be set down as entirely destitute of 

 lis valuable substance. In fact, there is very little probability 

 f its occuring at all, even in our primary formations. 

 Among the earthy minerals which are profitably wrought, are 

 ica, granular quartz, soap-stone, lime-stone, novaculite or hone- 

 ate, granite and gneiss. The number of localities at which these 

 :jinerals occur, produces an industry and enterprise quite com- 

 }|endable, and it is interesting to know, that in formations simi- 

 )r to those of New-Hampshire, that the sources of revenue are 

 Ute numerous. One great error, however, is in the disposition 

 overlook and undervalue all objects, except those which look as 

 they might contain gold or silver. The geological surveys, 



VOL. I. NO. II. D 



