192 [Assembly 



in Maine, with others of less importance. The collection embraces 

 specimens from each of these places. All of the granites (sienites) 

 quarried along the coast are durable stones ; a character determined 

 as well from their abundant use in building, as also from their 

 exposed surfaces in nature, which have withstood the action of 

 weathering for centuries without perceptible disintegration. 



The granites of the interior of New England, as of Concord and 

 Fitzwilliara in New Hampshire, Hallowell in Maine, Medtield in 

 Massachusetts, Westerly in Rhode Island, and of Barre, Berlin and 

 other places in Vermont, are compounds of quartz, felspar and mica. 

 They are, for the most part, light-colored and fine grained. The 

 felspar predominates, and they are easily wrought and bear fine 

 working. 



The Concord granite, which is now so largely in use, occupies a 

 long hill near the town of Concord in New Hampshire, which has a 

 direction or range from north-east to south-west. It is quarried at 

 several places on this hill, within a moderate distance from the town 

 and railroad. The rock presents distinct lines of bedding with an 

 apparent dip to the north-west, as indicated by seams or laminae of 

 different color, and also by the splitting of the rock both in the line 

 or rift (so termed by the workmen), and in the direction perpen- 

 dicular or vertical to the lines of bedding.* 



The beds of this granite are unequal in thickness, varying from 

 one to three or four, or even five or six feet, which can be split in 

 any desired lengths. The texture is pretty even, with some coarser 

 beds, with occasionally some blotches of coarser or finer, or lighter 

 or darker material. 



The granite of Fitzwilliam, a locality some forty miles west of 

 Concord, occupies a hill having a direction from north-east to south- 

 west, with the dip apparently to the north-east. In texture and 

 quality it is very similar to that of Concord, the prevailing beds 

 perhaps a little thinner, the thickest being four feet. The rock is 

 easily worked, and can be dressed with great facility. f 



A mile northward of the principal quarries the rock is somewhat 

 coarser in texture, but of similar light gray color, readily worked, 

 and making a handsome building stone. The granite of Hallowell 

 in Maine is similar in texture to that of Concord and Fitzwilliam. 



There is also a light-colored granite in the town of Medfield in 

 Massachusetts, from which the Court-house in Dedham has been 

 built. In color and texture, this granite differs but little from the 

 Concord granite, being perhaps a little coarser. The Court-house 

 was erected more than forty years ago ; and considering the time and 

 the less perfect dressing of the stone as compared with work of the 

 present day, the building still presents a very fine appearance. 



The granites of Barre, Berlin and other places in Vermont, are of 



*In splitting the blocks vertically to the bedding, I am informed by the foreman of the 

 quarry, Mr. Rob, that they open much more readily in lines east and west and north and 

 south, than in any direction oblique to these. 



1 1 am informed that the statues on the Horticultural Hall in Treraont street, Boston, 

 are from the Fitzwilliam granite, the structure itself being of Concord granite. 



