1837.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



717 



peated enterprises in minint?, from which no really 

 profitable result appears ever to have been derived. 

 IMost ol' the openinjis, either aiicieiit or modern, 

 liave disclosed nothing more than a calcareous 

 shale, sliixhtly filmed with the green carbonate, 

 and making, in some cases, a snpiM'Hrial show of 

 I'ichness, where analysis discovers only an insigni- 

 ficant amount of the enticing mineral. 



The specimens of the sulphuret of copper found 

 in several places are li'cquently of a very favora- 

 ble character, but no indications can be discovered 

 of its being present in sufficient (juantity, to justify 

 the erection of works for smelting. 



In this series of rocks, there occurs a blackish 

 plate, marked with the impressions of fossil vege- 

 tables, and containing much bituminous matter 

 and thin seams, or rather films, of coal. Similar 

 impressions are abiuiiiant also in some of the other 

 associated beds. Indeed, the general aspect of the 

 Tocks of this district is, at first view, not unfavora- 

 ble to the idea that it embodies valuable fields of 

 coal. But while I would by no means assert that 

 seams of this mineral, of one or two inches in 

 thickness, may not occasionally be found, / can- 

 not think it probable that any vein of ivorkable ex- 

 tent will ever be discovered among these shales. 



Besides the belt of limestone already referred to 

 as seen on the Rapidan in the line of our section, 

 another narrow ledge is found in Fauquier and 

 Loudoun counties, to the west of the Kettoctan 

 and Bull run iTiountain. and widening as It ap- 

 proaches the Potomac. Tliis rock, which is well 

 adapted to the making of lime, is in some places 

 burnt for that purpose, but it is ]iainful to remark 

 here, as in other places similarl}' fortunate in posi- 

 tion, how little benefit is reaped fi'om the posses- 

 sion of a resource of such high agricultural ulil- 



In many parts of the Blue Ridge, in the neigh- 

 borhood of the transverse belt whose general clia- 

 racters I am describing, virgin copper and the 

 green carbonate, have fjcen discovered in thin 

 veins and small masses in the body of quartzose 

 and epidotic rock. In the neighborhood of Stoney 

 Man, one of the loftiest and wildest of the peaks 

 of this range, near Swift run gap, and at several 

 other points, small specimens have been picked 

 up, and their richness both in the metal and its 

 ■carbonate, have inspired the sanguine with a con- 

 fident belief of the existence in the bosom of the 

 mountain of treasures of this nature, of exhaustless 

 extent. But in regard to all such anticipations, it 

 should be borne in mind, that the quantity is not, 

 less important than \hequality of the ore, to stamp 

 It with real value, and that until far more minute 

 and extensive researches in regard to these ores 

 have been made in the localities where they are 

 found, than have ever hitherto been attempted, it 

 will be impossible to have any grounds forjudging 

 of their extent, and it will be as unwise as hazard- 

 ous to engage in expensive schemes of mining on 

 their account. Yet I would not have it under- 

 stood, that such researches are to be considered as 

 hopeless or inexpedient. 1 would rather rejoice to 

 see investigation active, at the same time that, in 

 duty to the public interest, I would caution against 

 that precipitate and over sanguine spirit which will 

 not wait for deliberate research — a spirit which, in 

 no instance, is more likely to terminate in loss and 

 disappointment, than when excited by objects of 

 this nature, involved as they must be, even to the 



diligent scientific explorer, in unavoidable obscu- 

 rity and doubt. 



"//) the counties of the Valley and in the neighbor- 

 ing mojintains, the researches were of a character 

 deeply interesting to the progress of the survey. 

 After much toil and perplexity, occasioricd by the 

 rugiied features and complicated structure of the 

 mountainous districts which were examined, the 

 true relations of the rocks and minerals of this 

 portion of the state were satisfactorily determined. 

 The discovery of a key to the intricate geology of 

 the region west of the valley, as connected with 

 that of' the valley itself, must be regarded as a re- 

 sult of the highest practical, as Weil as scientific 

 interest. Such a guide hnving been obtainect, the 

 researches in this most diliicult field of investiga- 

 tion may be expected to progress with cerjaintj', 

 accuracy and expedition. For this important 

 iieneral result, I am largely indebted to the servi- 

 ces of my chief assistant. Professor II. D. Rogers, 

 who connecting the survey' of Pennsylvania, of 

 which he has the chief direction, with that of the 

 contiguous portions of our state, has been enabled 

 to throw new and valuable lights upon this and 

 other difficult points in our geology, until now en- 

 tirely misunderstood. 



In connexion with these general investigations, 

 which were indispensable as preliminaiies to the 

 minute research essential to the production of a 

 geological map of the Appalachinn region, various 

 important observations were made in regard to the 

 limestones, iron ores and coals, of the valley and 

 mountains to the west. Numerous specimens of 

 each of these materials have been sulyected to 

 chemical examination, and from the mass of results 

 thus obtained, valuable light has been shed upon 

 their nature, and useful applicntions in all the varie- 

 ties of form and com|)osition in which they occur. 



A brief statement of some of th.e geological and 

 chemical results thus far obtained, will serve to il- 

 lustrate the momentous practical bearings of the 

 investigation in progress in this region, and to dis- 

 play, in a new and gratifying point of view, the 

 vast extent and value of its mineral treasures. 



Of the twelve rocks, each marked by certain dis- 

 tinctive characters, composing the mountains and 

 valleys of this region, it has been deterviined, that 

 at least eight arc accompanied by beds (f iron ore. 

 Each ore has distinctive marks liy which it may 

 he recognized, and peculiarities of composition 

 fitting it for certain uses to which others would be 

 less happily adapted. Thus, in the quantity and 

 varietyof this material in all its valuable forms, our 

 state is now proved to have no rival, unless, per- 

 haps, Pennsylvania may be such. Looking to the 

 immense extent of the region over whicli these 

 rocks are spread, and to the structure of its moun- 

 tains and valleys — bringing to light at various 

 points, each of the twelve principal strata which 

 it comprises — freighted, in great part, with the 

 most inestimable of metallic products, it becomes 

 evident at once, that the topography of the rocks 

 and mineral resources of this region, as it will be 

 exhibited in the general geological map, is destined 

 to bestow upon it a new and almost unhoped lor 

 interest. With such incentives, and with such a 

 guide, enterprise directed to this portion of state 

 can neither falter or be disappointed. Anticipa- 

 tion confiding in the certain deductions of cautious 

 scientific research, already begins to sketch the 

 gladdening picture of successful industry, crowd- 



