42 Mineral Resources of JYeiv York. [July, 



Cathedral of Montreal is constructed of this variety. It resembles 

 granite at a distance. The Onondaga limestone is the only one 

 employed for building in the Helderberg division. As it extends 

 from the Hudson to Black Rock, it furnishes a great amount of 

 building stone, as well as material for the construction of canal 

 locks and other public and private purposes. 



The limestones which are suitable for lime, are the white and 

 clouded marbles of the taconic system; some varieties of the cal- 

 ciferous sandstone, the birdseye, Trenton and Onondaga lime- 

 stones; these are the most important; the best and purest lime is 

 made from a dark variety of the birdseye as it occurs at Chazy, 

 in Clinton county. The hydraulic limestones are associated with 

 the calciferous sandstones and limestones of the inferior part of 

 the Helderberg rocks. Lime for agricultural purposes is made 

 from the sparry limestone of the taconic system near Caldwell, 

 and at Barnegat, from the calciferous sandstone, where it is fur- 

 nished after air slacking at six pence per bushel. Three pecks 

 of the recently burnt lime become a bushel after it is air slacked. 

 The agricultural lime is all used either on Long Island or in New 

 Jersey. From these facts it will be seen that all parts of the 

 State are supplied wath limestone except the southern tier of 

 counties. Here an imperfect and deficient supply is derived from 

 beds of w^hite marl. 



We might dwell at length upon other mineral productions of 

 New York, if it were necessary, viz., the brine springs and plaster 

 mines. The former, as is well known, yields an enormous reve- 

 nue to the state. Both sources of wealth are, however, so well 

 known as to require only a passing notice in this place. 



In the preceding account of the mineral resources of this state 

 we have taken no notice of clay for brick or pottery, peat for fuel 

 and manure, and marl for manure and the common purposes for 

 which lime may be used. Some idea of the value of the clay of 

 New York may be formed when it is stated that from 75 to 100 

 millions of bricks are annually made from the Hudson river clay. 

 The value of the peat beds of the state is also immense ; or is so 

 prospectively. There are probably no less than one hundred 



