AMERICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL 



OF 



AGRICULTURE AND SCIENCE. 



No. A7II. OCTOBEE, 1846. 



MINERAL AXD AGRICULTLHAL RESOURCES OF 

 NEW YORK. 



In the last number of this Journal we gave a brief and con- 

 densed account of the mineral resources of New York. In the 

 first part of the essay here referred to, we attempted to show the 

 importance of an early investigation of the natural resomxes of a 

 state, inasmuch as its prosperity is greatly promoted by investi- 

 gatioiis of this kind. ^Ve took occasion also to say, that the 

 mineral formations have much to do in directing the business and 

 enterprizes of life; that they fiequently move the springs of ac- 

 tion when least suspected; or, in other words, that it is the form- 

 ation and structure of the country which controls the pursuits of 

 men; and that their occupations are results determined by the 

 geological conditions of particular districts. This view of the 

 subject is verified by daily observation. The coal fields of Britain 

 and of the United States call for the labor of certain classes of men, 

 and furnish profitable employment for an immense amount of capital. 

 Capitalists, engineers, miners, draymen, common laborers, trans- 

 portation companies, etc., operating in all their various spheres, 

 merchants and dealers, all make up classes of interests directly 

 called into being by the peculiar formations of a district. 



The earth in many ways opens a field for industry and em- 

 ployment, and as it were compels both capital and labor to be 



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