farmers' miscellany. 65 



; he truth and importance of these sentiments, I determined to visit 

 |ome of the leading farmers in central New- York, that the various 

 ranches of husbandry might come under my own inspection, and 

 . Is you have manifested so much interest of late in farming, and 

 're introducing the improved modes of culture, I determined I 

 -ould occasionally give you the results of my observations. I 

 ■It Albany on the 22d of May, and made a continuous journey 

 ) Utica, or into the heart of Oneida county, where my observa- 

 ons commence ; and here I remark, that Utica and its immediate 

 icinity is underlaid by a peculiar black slate, eminently subject to 

 I JBComposition. The soil thus formed is distinctly argillaceous 

 • jit is unquestionably excellent of its kind. Passing up the val- 

 I !y of Oriskany creek, in the direction of Sangersfield, a succes- 

 i;;Dn of rocks is passed over, comprising the entire Clinton group, 

 ihich consists mainly of thin bedded shales, passing into sand- 

 ones, and upwards through other silicious deposits, until we 

 ach the Onondaga limestone, which passes through Sangersfield 

 .jadison, Waterville, and thence westward through a belt of coun- 

 Y five or six miles wide, to Lake Erie. The modifying influence 

 the different rocks is not very distinctly seen at all places, in 

 • nsequence of the thick beds of northern drift which are spread 

 1 er some fields to the depth of one hundred feet. In this section 

 ( country diluvial hills are constantly met with, and it is by their 

 irmation that the country is of that character which is denomi- 

 ilted rolling. They are sometimes conical, and sometimes in the 

 i-m of low, rounded ridges, forming in all those cases excellent 

 Ifids for pasturage, and in many instances, land well adapted to 

 tiage, and particularly the growth of corn. Although I have 

 marked that the influence of the underlying rock is not always 

 flrceptible, yet, in the region of Sangersfield and Waterville, and 

 aielt of country from six to fifteen miles wide extending east and 

 VjSt, we have to all intents and purposes a calcareous soil. It is 

 fi)duced by an immense number of boulders and vast quantities 

 Ojsand and gravel, in which there is a large proportion of calca- 

 T'ius matter. The calcareous matter is derived partly from the 

 lanton and lower limestones which form the surface rock in the 

 nrthern part of the county, and the Onondaga limestone which 

 ulerlies a part of the southern towns. Many excellent farms 

 h along the valley in the route firora Utica to Waterville, but as 



OL. II. KO. I. I 



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