C 138 3 



Account of the Beds of Gypsum, found in the western 

 part of the State of New York, by Jacob Cist, Esq. 

 of JFilkesbarre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. 



Read January 12, 1813. 



Dear Sir, 



This very valuable mineral, appears to have been first 

 discovered on the farm of a Mr, Buck, in the town of 

 Sempronius, Onondago co. N. York. — The bed is very 

 extensive, and is composed n'early one half of transpa- 

 rent and chrystallized plaster, termed by mineralogists 

 Selenite, Specimens of it have been sent to France, 

 where it has been found equal in quality to the best in 

 that country, for stucco work, for casting of busts, 

 basso relievos, &c. ; owing, however, to its inland si- 

 tuation, and the surrounding country being naturally 

 rich and fertile, and but lately brought into cultivation, 

 it is at present not much used for agricultural purpo- 

 ses. From the experiments which have been made 

 with the grey, or amorphous part of it, it is found to 

 be equally as strong as any other. 



The second discovery was made in Oneida county, 

 in the town of Sullivan ; it is very similar to the Onon- 

 dago : — the same causes which prevent that being 

 much used also operate here. 



It has since then been discovered, viz. in 1806, in 

 Cayuga county, in the town of Aurelius, near the sul- 

 phur spring, on the eastern margin of Cayuga Lake ; 

 — The quarries here consist solely of the grey plaster, 

 are very extensive, nearly a mile in length, on the 

 Lake ; — their extent to the east has not yet been ascer- 



