268 On American Gt/psitni, 



either nature or capital affords. — In peace, the facili- 

 ties of roads and canals are evident ; — in war, — we 

 now perceive their indispensable use ; and feel the pri- 

 vation. 



I am your obedient servant, 



Richard Peters, 

 Dr. James Mease. 



Secretary of the Philad, Ag)'ic. Soc, 



Belvidere, October 8, 1815. 



Dear Sir, 



I had not the pleasure of receiving your letter un- 

 til the latter end of July ; since then I have been try- 

 ing to procure the information necessary to enable me 

 to answer the enquiries you have made respecting the 

 locality and quality of the gypsum, lately discovered 

 on our lakes. 



The greatest bed of plaster yet discovered, is upon 

 the eastern bank of Cayuga lake, extending the dis- 

 tance of thirteen miles, from the salt springs, at Mon- 

 tezuma, up the lake, to Union spring, (see enclosed 

 map) the whole of the distance between these two pla- 

 ces, abounds so much with plaster, that it is found 

 wherever the trouble of digging for it is taken, An^ 

 other considerable quarry has been opened at the ter- 

 mination of the rapids of the outlet of Seneca lake, (see 

 A) By far the greater part, if not all, of the plaster sent 

 to your state, is taken from these two quarries, and it 

 is supposed that they will produce plaster enough to 

 supply the demand of your state for ages to come. 



