THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



133 



the Medical College, wliere the hornblende slate 

 crops out on the crest of a moderate hill, the 

 strata running N. 40 deg. E., S. 40 deg. W., and 

 dipping to the north westward 40 degrees. By 

 means of a single blast, it is easy to obtain a large 

 supply of very fine specimens. 



In the northern part of this town plastic clay 

 and clay marl occin' in regular strata, which aie 

 nearly horizontal. On the estate of John Dur- 

 kee, Esq., the marl is highly calcareous, and will 

 serve for fertilizing the soil. Specimens of this 

 marl were presented to me by Dr. C. B. Hamilton 

 of Lyme. He informed me that attempts were 

 made to burn it for bricks, but the bricks were 

 found to slake and crack when exposed to the ac- 

 tion of water. This circumstance led him to 

 suppose that the clay contained lime, v. Iiich fact 

 has been most fully confirmed by analysis. 



(See the chemical department of this report.) 



Blue limestone occurs also in the northern part 

 of Hanover, and is of sufficient purity for the 

 inanufcctnre of lime for mortar, and for agricul- 

 tural use. (See analysis.) 



Lyme. This town was partially examined 

 while we were engaged upon the section, but 

 much still remains to be done. Many highly 

 useful substances occur, and will need a more 

 full survey. Rev. Mr. Buck, the principal of the 

 Academy, has already collected a great number 

 of highly interesting minerals in the vicinity, and 

 Dr. Hamilton has examined a deposit of clay mart 

 which is quite valuable for agricultural use. 



Aided by this gentleman we visited the marl 

 beds, and ascertained the existence of marl 

 throughout an extensivo district. It occurs in 

 thick beds on the clifl^ and on the margin of a 

 brook, and between the East and West Villages 

 on both sides of the road. The marl is evideiitly 

 an ancient alluvial or diluvial deposit, since it is 

 far above the level of any stream at present ex- 

 isting in this region. It was formed by the de- 

 composition and disintegration of a blue lime- 

 stone, fragments of which are still found imbed- 

 ded in the marl. Where the marl bed is exposed 

 to the heat of the sun, the surface becomes indu- 

 rated so that it requires the use of a pick in dig- 

 ging it out of the bank. 



The richness of the marl may be estimated 

 coarsely by jiouring upon it some muriatic or 

 nitric acid, and judging by the degree of effer- 

 vescence which takes place from disengagement 

 of the carbonic acid gas. An exact analysis of 

 it will be found in the chemical part of this re- 

 port. It is evident that by use of this marl the 

 farmers may highly improve the sandy soils in the 

 West Village and its vicinity, and it is somewhat 

 remarkable that attention has not before 'been 

 jiaid to the subject. Dr. Hamilton says that lime- 

 stone of good quality and marl also abound in 

 the north part of Lyme. He furnished me with 

 specimens which have been carefully analyzed in 

 iny laboratory, as will be seen reported in the 

 tables of chemical analyses. 



During our next campaign, we shall ascertain 

 the extent and economical value of those beds of 

 limestone, and shall examine several veins of 

 metaliferous ores which occur in the vicinity. 

 Some masses of cyauite have have been found 

 in the northwest part of Lyme, by Mr. Buck. 

 Copper pyrites has been found in the S. E. part 

 of the town. Black tourmaline in distinct crys- 

 tals occurs in the rocks in large quantities. One 

 small but beautiful specimen of quartz, contain- 

 ing rntile, has also been found in the soil. Iron 

 pyrites occurs on the estate of Mr. Holt, and tbr- 

 merly gave rise to absurd expectations, it having 

 been mistaken for an ore of the precious metals. 



The mica slate rocks which crop out in the 

 East Village, along the borders of the stream, are 

 occasionally impregnated with disseminated crys- 

 tals of iron pyrites. It also exhibits a gradual 

 passage into plumbaginous clay slate. The strata 

 run N. E. and S. W., and dip to the N. W. 53 deg. 

 Diluvial borders of granite and of quartz rock 

 also abound on the surface. Two small veins of 

 copper pyrites are said to occur in this town, to 

 the eastward of the East Village, but our time did 

 not allow us then to visit them. 



From Lyme to Or/ord the rocks are mica slate 

 with occasional veins of granite. 



Orford. In this town we were assisted in our 

 explorations by Dr. Ilosford, who has made a 

 collection of the most interesting minerals of ' 

 neighborhood. Sunday Mountain, in the south 

 part of the town, consists of granite which 



good quality, and is quarried to some extent. It 

 is composed of white felspar and black mica, and 

 contains but little quartz. 



Two miles north from the village occurs an 

 immense bed of compact talcose slate, which an- 

 swers perfectly for soapstone, and is quarried to 

 some extent, but may, by proper management, be 

 made to furnish an almost unlimited quantity of 

 that valuable material. The bed is included in 

 mica slate, and dips with the strata of that rock 

 to the N. 10 deg., VV. 35 deg. 



The mica slate may be seen cropping out at 

 the summit of the hill, and also at its base; but 

 the walls of the talcose rock have not been fully 

 explored. We may, however, safely estimate the 

 thickness of the bed at ICO feet, and it probably 

 is even of greatei dimensions. The present mode 

 of quarrying the rock is troublesome and slow. 

 The workmen who hire the privilege of obtain- 

 ing the rock, since they do not own the ledge, are 

 unwilling to expend a large sum in clearing the 

 quarry so as to obtain a good head, and conse- 

 quently have to work ;it a disadvantage. A large 

 amount could be profitably expended in preparing 

 the quarry so that the stone could be more easily 

 obtained. 



Clove brown tourmaline, which is a rare mine- 

 ral, occurs in the talcose slate in large crystals, 

 some of which are more than two inches in diam- 

 eter and and six inches in length. They are rarely 

 found with jierfect terminations. Radiated brown 

 tourmaline is much more abundant, and is easily 

 oblained at the quarry. 



The composition of this mineral will be stated 



the chemical department of this report. 



Grantdar limestone also occms in Orford, but 

 does not appear on our line of section. Speci- 

 mens were obtained for analysis, and will be 

 reported in another department of the present 

 essay. 



PiEBMONT. Leaving Orford and proceeding 

 northwardly, we next pass through Piermont, the 

 rocks on the route being uniformly mica slate 

 strata, with occasional protruded masses of gran- 

 ite, and veins of quartz, and numerous dykes of 



ceons spectd;>r iron ore, which was exainined 

 with care. This bed occurs on an eminence 

 known as Cross' Ore Hill, which is 4i miles 

 S. E. from Haverhill Corner. The iron ore is 

 contained in stratified (luartz rock, and follows 

 the course and dip ot tiie strata, the direction 

 being N. 15 deg. E., S. 15 deg. W., and thfe incli- 

 nation W. by N. 26 to 30 deg. We traced it 

 along the crest of the hill for the distance of half 

 ile. The beds are very numerous, and are 

 contiguous to each other. 



The beds of iron ore vary in thickness from a 

 few inches to three or fom- feet. At the southern 

 extremity of the hill, the ore presents itself in 

 larger beds, the outcropping ends and edges being 

 fully exposed to view. At this extremity of the 

 bed it is best to commence the work of mining, 

 if the ore is to be wrought, since it may be more 

 readily transported to the road below and from 

 thence to a furnace. The slope of the hill is at 

 an angle of from 22 to 25 degrees to the road, 

 and is (jnite regular, so that a slide may be con- 

 structed for transportation of the ore to the road. 



The highest crest of the hill is about 300 feet 

 above the immediate base, and at the south ex- 

 tremity of the bed, the elevation is from 150 to 

 900 feet above the road below. There appears to 

 be a sufficiency of iron ore at this locality to war- 

 rant the erection of a blast furnace. Several 

 loads of the ore have already been converted into 

 good cast and bar iion at Mr. Huxan Paddock's 

 furnace in St. Johnsbury, Vt. Numerous speci- 

 mens of the ore have been analyzed in n)y labo- 

 r.atory during the past winter, as will he seen in 

 the chemical (hiiaituicnt of this report. 



Owing to the pn'sem-e ufa small proportion of 

 oxide of titanium in this ore, it is more difficult 

 to reduce than some other varicticj-, but this is not 

 a serious obstacle, considering the minute propor- 

 tion of titanium which the ore contains. It is al- 

 ways advisable to mix such heavy ores with bog 

 iron ore if it can be obtained,since it serves to facil- 

 itate the reduction of the specular iron ore, and 

 lightens the charge in the furnace. A limited de- 

 posit of compact and dry bog iron was found near 

 the base of the hill, but not in sufficient quantity to 

 render it available. 



Another small deposit exists on a branch of 



the Oliverian stream, but the quantity is said to 

 be insufficient for iron works. 



In the bed of specular iron ore occiu* occasional 

 masses and veins of sulphate of barytes, a mine- 

 ral conmionly used for the adulteration of white 



On the hill opposite the specular iron ore, on 

 the land of Mr. Thotnas Cross, there are several 

 small veins of magnetic iron ore, varying in width 

 from one to four inches, which alone would not 

 be considered of any economical value, but these 

 small veins will furnish a valuable contribution to 

 a blast furnace, where the specular iron ores may 

 be smelted. 



Green, white and brown micas are found asso- 

 ciated with this ore. 



A few fine crystals of phosphate of lime of the 

 variety called apatite occur, imbedded in masses 

 of limestone, which are found loose at the base 

 of the hill. 



Attempts have recently been made to discover 

 coal in the plumbaginous mica slato of this town, 

 but as might have been anticipated, without suc- 

 cess, since the rocks do not belong to the coal 

 formation. On our route from Piermont to Ha- 

 verhill Corner, we passed over nine dykes of 

 greenstone trap rock, which have been erupted 

 through the mica slate rocks. Some of these 

 dykes consist of the poiphyritic trap which usu- 

 ally is the most ancient variety. 



Haverhill. During our sojourn in this town, 

 His Excellency Governor Page kindly devoted 

 his time and personal attention to the survey, and 

 aided us in the work. 



With him we visited several localities before 

 described, and those which will next occupy our 

 attention. 



The plain at Haverhill Corner is covered mostly 

 with ancient alluvial .soil, which conceals the 

 rocks, but the strata may be examined on the hills 

 and mountains around where their outcropping 

 edges are fully exposed. Mica slate is the pre- 

 dominating rock, and it is occasionally interrupted 

 by veins and beds of granite and quartz rock. 

 Extensive beds of excellent limestone are also 

 included in the mica slate. Many cm-ions and 

 useful simple minerals were also found in veins 

 traversing that rock. 



Granite of good quality exists abundantly on 

 Catamount Hill, situate south westward from the 

 village. The hill is mostly composed of tabular 

 sheets of granite, which affords great facilities to 

 the quarryman. The sheets of granite have no 

 stratified structure, but are pseudo-strata. They 

 slope to the W. N. VV. 20 deg., and large plat- 

 forms are readily split off and taken down the 

 sloping hill. This stone is extensively quarried, 

 and is used in Haverhill for fence posts and for 

 underpinning. Large quantities are also sent 

 over into Vermont for sale, and it is even trans- 

 ported to markets 20 miles distant. 



Among the interesting minerals which have 

 been found in Haverhill, we may mention small 

 veins of copper and iron pyrites, sulphurets of 

 lead and of zinc, native arsenic, arsenical pyrites, 

 large crystals of garnet in chlorite, some of which 

 arc 1^ inch in diameter, and are crystallized in 

 the primary form, talcose rock or soapstone and 

 granular white limestone of excellent quality. 



The extent and value of these minerals were 

 carefully ascertained, and specimens of them 

 were collected for the State cabinet and for chem- 

 ical analysis. Several of those first mentioned 

 were discovered by Mr. Roswell Wilmott, who 

 has a decided taste for mineralogical researches, 

 and has been quite successful in learning the 

 characteristics of such specimens as he could 

 obtain in his vicinity. The copper pyrites occurs 

 in a vein of white quartz traversing mica and 

 hornblende slate strata, on the estate of Mr. Fran- 

 cis Kimball, between the Great Ammonusuck 

 and the Wild Ammonusuck rivers. 



The vein is fioni 1 to 4 inches wide, and is 

 quite irregnlar; the copper ore occurring in 

 bunches or nests in the quartz. Galena or sul- 

 phuret of zinc are also found in the same situa- 

 The direction of the vein is N. 10 deg. 

 ;g.E. - ■ 

 deg., I 

 and S., sloping to the westward. 



Passing over the hill to the west, we next came 

 to a dark blue variety of mica slate, wliicli is 

 stained by plumbago and iron pyrites. This rock 

 includes beds of native arsenic, which is so free 

 that it is volatilized by the heat of the sun, giving 



VV., S. 10 deg. E. It intersects the strata at an 

 angle of 70 deg., the mica slate strata running N. 



