THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



CONDUCTED BY ISAAC HILL. 



Those who labor in the earth are the chosenpeople of God, lohosc breasts he has made his peculiar depositefor tubstanlial and genuine nrtue." — Jefferson 



VOLUME III. 



CONCORD, N. H. OCT. 30, 1841. 



NUMBER 10. 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



A MONTHLY NEWSPAPER, IS PUBLISHED DY 



JOHN M. HILL. 



HiWs Brick Block, Concord, JV. H. 



generaTagents, 



B. COOKK, Keene, N. H. 



TH. R. HAMPTON, WashinslonCity. D. C. 



JOHN MARSH. Wnshinslon St. Boston. 



CHARLES \V'ARREN, Bnnleij Row, Uorcester, Mass. 



A. H. STILL\VF.L[., No. I, Market Square, Prov. R.J. 



GEORGE VV. TOWLE, Portsmouth, N. H. 



L, VV. HALL & Co. Springfield, AJans. 



The Visitor will be issued on the last day of each month. 





Fifteen 





1839, 



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THE VISITOR 



First Annual Report on the Geology of the 

 State oj New Hampshire. 



Bv Charles T. Jackson. State Geologist. 

 Sectio.n from Wakefield to Haverhili,, a.nd 

 jexami.^ation of the cod-ntry adjace.nt to 

 Lake VVinnipiseogee, by Messrs. Whitney 



AND WiLLIAJIS. 



From Wakefield to Monltoiiboroiigli the iiti- 

 derlyiiia rock is granite, covered with boulders 

 of granite and nia.sses of diluvial granitio sand. 

 Some of the boulilers are of enormous size. 

 Near the house of Mr. Ambrose, in Ossipee, is a 

 collection of loose masses of granite, one of 

 which measured forty-three feet in length, sev- 

 enteen feet high, and twenty-one feet wide. A 

 ledge of hornblende rock of limited extent cros- 

 ses the road near the village of Wakefield. 



In MoMlloiiboioiigh, the character of the rocks 

 beiiins to cliaMi;e. Red Hill, which ri.ses about 

 2,000 feet above the level of tiie sea, is compos- 

 ed of a peaiitiful sieiille, in which the felspar is 

 of an ash'-gray color, when freshly exposed. 

 Near the sumiiiit of the mountain, where the 

 ledges of rock are exposed to the action of the 

 air, it is of a reddish hue. The mountain ia cros- 

 sed at about one-third of its height by a large 

 dyke of porphyritic trap, whose general direction 

 is about N. 30deg. W. Being covered with soil, 

 it is imposible to trace its limits. The hornblende 

 of the sienite is in some instances well crystal- 

 ized, so as to afl^ord very good cabinet specimens. 

 Near the house of Mr. Cook, about half way 

 from the base to the suimnil, occurs a deposit of 

 iron ore. It is only a few inches thick and ot 

 limited extent. From it a crow-bar has been 

 manufactured. Near this spot small quantities 

 ot iron pyrites have been found, also black tour- 

 maline, which lias been mistaken for coal. 



'J his moimtain is covered with soil, and is 

 wooded nearly to the snmmit. It owes its name 

 to the circumstance of the leaveis IJva Ursa with 

 which it is covered, changing to a brilliant red in 

 the autumn. 



Great numbers of visifora ascend this mimn- 

 tain, attracted by the unrivalled beauty of the 

 scenery of the country bordering on Lakes Win 

 nipissiogee and Sqiiani. On a clear day, the 

 view from its summit is of great extent. The lof- 

 ty peaks of Kears'arge, Sandwich, Whiteface, 

 Conway, Pigwacket and Ossipee mountains, 

 seem to enclose, in an amphitheatre, the lakes 

 will) their nuiininms picturesque isli<nd!>, cover- 

 ed with the dark (blia^'e of the spruce and pins, 



forming the most 6eo«<[/"u/ mountain view which 

 this country affords. 



The shores of Lake Winnipiseogeeare covered 

 with angular fragments of granite and granitic 

 sand. A beautiful amethyst sand is found abund- 

 antly on the shores of Long island. The number 

 of islands in this lake is very great, and several of 

 them have become quite well known for the 

 large crops which skilful cultivation has produced 

 upon them. These will be noticed in the agri- 

 cultural |iart of the report. Rattle Snake island 

 is elevated from 400 to 500 feet altove the lake, 

 and presents from its summit a fine view of the 

 surrounding i.«lands. Tlieir geological character 

 is quite uniform, being composed of angular frag- 

 ments of granite piled on ledges of the same rock, 

 which are olten cut through by veins of injected 

 trap and granite. 



Ossipee Mountain, in Ossipee, about 3 or 4 

 miles from the eastern shoreof the lake, is com- 

 posed of several distinct jieaks. The most lolh', 

 which i.s elevated 23G] feet above the sea-level, is 

 well woodeil, and covered with larch, spruce and 

 birch to tlie summit. The rock is gneiss, cover- 

 ed with numerous Iragments ol trap brought from 

 the most northern peak, which is an isolated bare 

 precipitous range of bhii.sh greenstone trap. 

 This rock has been inistaken for iron ore and (or 

 limestone, neither of v.liirli miiieiuls occur there. 

 Near the foot of the moiiiilaii, is u heauiiful little 

 cascade, which attracls numiroiis visitors to the 

 mountain ; also, a spring slightly impregnated 

 with sulphydric acid gas, whicli has attained some 

 celebrity among the inhabitants as a remedy for 

 cutaneous d' 



Tiie greenstone trap peak of Ossipee seems to 

 be eoniiccteil with a series of dykes of great- 

 er or less extent, occurring in numerous pla- 

 ces in the adjacent country. A series of them 

 cross the road from Centre Harbor toTamworth, 

 nearly on a line between Ossipee and Red Moun- 

 tains. They are very numerous, and measure 

 from one to three or four feet in thirknesss. 

 Their general direction is N. 60 or 70 deg. W. 

 Trap d}kes aiealso very numerous on the margin 

 of S(piam Lake, varying from one inch to ten 

 feet in width, running nearly E. and W. About 

 six miles N. liom Centre H;irbor occurs a dyke 

 cutting ihroii^h gratiite and is about 10 ft. in 

 width. It is porphyrilic with fiesli-colored crys- 

 tals of (elspar. These (l_\kes are very distinctly 

 marked liom the surtiice of the granite including 

 them. They have been worn and polished by 

 the action of the diluvial currents, so that a lev- 

 el and smooth smfiice com|irising many thou- 

 sand square feet lies entirely bare of soil. 



Gunstock Mountain, on the south-western shore 

 of this Lake, is made up of three distinct peaks. 

 The most northerly is the highest, being about 

 1969 leet above the lake, and 2447 feet above the 

 sea. The westerly peak, according to Dr. Jack- 

 son's olwervations, is 1561 feet above the lake, 

 and 2039 ft. above the sea. On ns declivity oc- 

 curs a vein of niagnetic oxide of iron, which 

 is included in sienite rock and is irregular 

 in its dimensions, varying from a few inch- 

 es to two feet in width. The ore is remark- 

 ably magnetic, with strong polarity, especially 

 near the surface, the interior not being so strong- 

 ly polarized. Large quantities of this ore are 

 now lying loose upon the ground, and will fur- 

 nish an abundance of cabinet specimens; there 

 is not an adequate supply for a furnace. 



The most southerly peak aftbrds a magnificent 

 view of Lake Winnipiseogee and its islands, 

 with the surrounding mountains. Large dykes 

 of trap occur on this mountain. It was supposed 

 that limestone had been found there, but exam- 

 ination has not confirmed the opinion. 



From Meredith to Centre Harbor, the rock, in 

 place is phorphyritic granite, often traversed by 

 beds and veins ot fine grained, Hark colored 

 I granite and trap. Some specimeus of the por- 



phyritic granite, in vvhich the crystals of felspar 

 are flesh coloreil, are very beautiful. 



Boulders of this rock are scattered in great 

 numbers to the south of their native bed. They 

 have been carried from eight to ten miles by the 

 action of the diluvial currents. From Centre 

 Harbor to Plymouth, the rocks in place are phor- 

 phyritic granite, traversed by occasional limited 

 beds of mica slate. In Plymouth mica slate oc- 

 curs, and continues to near the line of Went- 

 worth, where the granite replaces it. Near 

 Rumney line, at the base of Carr's ftlountaiu, the 

 mica slate runs N. 35 deg. E., and dips nearly 

 vertical. This rock splits very smoothly, and 

 might be quarried to any e.xtent. 



Carr's Mountain, which is one of the most lof- 

 ty elevations in this (lart of the State, being about 

 ^81 feet above the sea-level, is composed of 

 granite overlying nfica slate. From the vertical 

 dip of this rock at its base, it would seem highly 

 probably that the granite had been erupted 

 through' il, forming a cap upon its summit. 

 Examination of the country from Haver- 

 hill to the White Mountains. 



Having completed the measurement of our 

 great longitudinal section, which will be rejire- 

 sented hereafter by a colored engraving, we made 

 a rapid recoimoisance of the country from Ha- 

 verhill to the White Mountains, by the way of 

 Lisbon and Fraiiconia, examining particularly the 

 limestones and iron ores which are found in the 

 last mentioned towns. From Bath to Franconia 

 the mica slate rocks predominate, and in Lisbon 

 these rocks contain an infinity of beauliful'y crys- 

 tallized staurotides ami garnets, which on the 

 shores of Mink Pond have been detached from 

 the rock by decomposition, so as to form the 

 princi|ial pebbles on its beach. This locality will 

 prove interesting to mineralogists, who can read- 

 ily obtain as many separate crystals ofstaurotide 

 as they desire, by visiting the shores of the 

 pond. 



The limestones of Lisbon are contained be- 

 tween walls of mica slate, and quarries have long 

 been wrought in several places for the supply of 

 lime. The principal quarries are owned and 

 wrought by Owen Bronson, Thos. Priest, David 

 Priest, and Uriah Oak»'s. Tlie bed .it T. Priest's 

 quarry runs N.ffi* deg. E., S. 69 deg. W.,and dips 

 to the N. W. 70 ilue. It is 13 feet wide, and has 

 been opened to the depth of 60 fijet, and 300 fiset 

 in length. Bronson's quarry is a jiart of llie same 

 bed, and is situated to the S. W. The limeslone 

 is crystalline, and of a greyish white color, and 

 is said to make good lime.- (See analysis.) Da- 

 vid Priest's quairy is situated a mile and a half 

 north-ea.Mward from this locality. 



From David Priest's quarry we took the bear- 

 ings of the other openings where limestone had 

 been obtained. T. Priest's quarrv bears S. 71 deg. 

 W. Uriah Oaks' N. 81 deg. E. From these 

 bearings it will appear that there rnnst be sev- 

 eral distinct beds of limestone, running parallel 

 with each other, or the strata may curve where 

 they may not be observed on account of the su- 

 perficial covering of soil. 



I shall give the statistical information obtained 

 at these quarries in another part of this Report, 

 where the composition of the limestone will plso 

 be stated. 



Franconia. This town owes its rise and pros- 

 perity to the discovery and working of a rich vein 

 of granular magnetic iron ore, which exists with- 

 in the present limits of the town of Lisbon, at 

 its south-eastern corner. The iron ore is a vein 

 from 3 1-2 to 4 feet wide, included in granite 

 rocks. The course of the vein is N. 30 deg. E., 

 S. 30 deg. W., and its dip is to the south-east 70 

 or 80 deg. It has been opened and wrought 40 

 rods in length, and 144 feet in dejith. The ore 

 is blasted out by the workmen, who are employ- 

 ed by a contnictor who supplies the Franconin 

 I furnace. The mine is wrought o^ien to day 



