1846.] Agricultural Geology of Onondaga County. 17 



which are sunk in the gypseous rocks contain both saline and 

 vegetable matter in solution. As an example of their composi- 

 tion, we give the analysis of the water of Mr. Geddes' well at 

 Fairmount. One quart evaporated slowly to dryness, the last 

 part of the process being performed in a platinum capsule, gave 



Solid matter, - - - - 8.72 

 Organic matter, - - - 1.44 



Saline, 7.25 



The water of the hydrant company which supplies the village 

 of Syracuse contains forty grains of saline matter to the gallon. 

 It consists of the chlorides of sodium and calcium, sulphates of 

 lime and alumine, with some organic matter. It is clear and 

 transparent, but very unfit for many domestic purposes on account 

 of hardness. 



The saline matter consists of the chlorides of calcium and 

 sodium, sulphates of lime and magnesia, carbonate of lime, silex 

 and alumina. The organic matter gave the usual greenish preci- 

 pitate, with acetate of copper; but the exact amount of crenic 

 and apocrenic acids was not determined. These acids, however, 

 are very abundant in the waters of this county. Those which 

 issue from the green shales are the most highly charged, and in 

 one or two instances small lakes, whose basins are excavated in 

 them, are bitter. This is the fact in regard to the Green lakes 

 near Manlius Centre; though we are not fully authorized to state 

 this from a chemical examination of the waters, yet the incrusta- 

 tions upon the limbs of trees submerged in the water, contained 

 a notable quantity of crenic acid. To detect it required only a 

 solution of the incrustation in cold water, and the application of 

 acetate of copper. The same acids, and by the same method, 

 may be obtained from the tufa, which every where abounds in 

 the vicinity of the green gypseous shales; and we may probably 

 maintain that the lime of tufa, has been in solution by these 

 acids. We may even extend this view of the subject, and sup- 

 pose that the concreted lime upon shelving rocks and the stalac- 

 tites of caverns, owe their origin in part to organic acids. 



