1S46.] Mineral Resources of JYew York. 29 



discovering, and wliich never was admitted of the earth, until the 

 fact was discovered by thousands of observations made in all parts 

 of the world; and even now, many who in other instances see or- 

 der established, still have very incomplete and imperfect views of 

 order as established in the strata forming the earth's surface, al- 

 though here it is of the most importance to man; it is here that 

 his daily subsistence is derived; in fine it can not be doubted but 

 that order here is more important, so far as man is concerned, 

 than any where else in the universe. We deem these remarks 

 important when taken in connection with the subject of this pa- 

 per, for if it can not be shown that economical productions are 

 arranged in the interior of the earth in some order, the value of 

 systematic study ceases to be important, or at least loses one half 

 ol' its value. This does not, however, conflict with a fact which 

 will appear by and by, that certain important mineral productions 

 have a wide lange, and may be considered as common to many 

 distinct Ibrmations. 



The formations of New York belong to four great systems, 

 marking four corresponding eras or periods in the earth's history. 

 The first, and most ancient is denominated primary, inasmuch as 

 it existed })rior to animals and vegetables, or in other words, pre- 

 ceded organic existence. It was a period marked by the predo- 

 minance of inorganic force which is every where indicated by 

 crystalline rocks and minerals, and though this force has never 

 ceased to play its part in modifying the earth's surface, still the 

 period when primary rocks were forming is emphatically one 

 when this kind of force predominated. Different varieties of gra- 

 nite and primary limestone, gneiss and hornblende and iron ores 

 were the formations which were the creations of the first periods, 

 01' those which preceded organic existence. The second system, 

 proceeding in the ascending order, is the taconic, which is also 

 marked by the same inorganic force, as is plainly discoverable in 

 the structure of the marbles and crystalline limestones and the re- 

 gular jointed structure of the slates of this system. It is, however, 

 less strongly marked, for all the members of this system carry with 

 them the distinct marks of a sedimentary origin, and earthy cha- 



