64 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



extent. It finds its principal use in portland cement manufacture, 

 being employed for that purpose by the Cayuga Lake Cement Co., 

 in its works at Portland Point, Tompkins county. 



Marl is a useful substitute for the hard limestone for some pur- 

 poses and is rather extensively developed in the central and western 

 parts of the State. It is found particularly in swampy tracts and 

 old lake basins associated with clay and peat. In the Cowaselon 

 swamp near Canastota the marl underlies several thousand acres 

 and is said to be 30 feet thick. The Montezuma marshes in Cayuga 

 and Seneca counties contain a large deposit which at Montezuma 

 is 14 feet thick. In Steuben county the marls at Arkport and Dans- 

 ville have been employed for lime-making. Until recently marls 

 have been used extensively for portland cement and plants were 

 operated at one time in the marl beds near Warner and Jordan, 

 Onondaga county; at Montezuma, Cayuga county; Wayland, Steu- 

 ben county ; and Caledonia, Livingston county. Their principal use 

 at present is for agricultural and chemical purposes. 



Production. As already noted in a previous paragraph, lime- 

 stone ranks first among the quarry materials of the State. The 

 value of the output is larger than that of all other kinds together, 

 and has gained in relative importance within the last few years. 

 Its main use is as crushed stone for concrete and road work; most 

 of the stratified formations, except those in the Upper Devonic, 

 contain limestones that are adapted to that purpose. It is also em- 

 ployed as building stone, though not so extensively as formerly, 

 and considerable quantities are consumed as reagent in chemical 

 manufacturing and as flux in the iron and steel industries. Of 

 late there has been a growing demand for finely ground limestone 

 and burnt lime for agricultural uses. Lime manufacture still holds 

 a prominent place in the industry. 



The production of limestone, like that of other quarry materials, 

 showed a decline in 1914 owing to the general dulness in building 

 and other trades. The reaction continued into 19 15 and brought 

 about a further diminution in the output, although before the close 

 of the year a distinct improvement had set in. The total value of 

 limestone quarried was $3,177,700, against $3,316,063 in 19 14. 



Altogether 87 quarries reported as active, or 4 less than in the 

 preceding year, distributed among 29 counties of the State. The 

 accompanying tables give the statistics for the last two years, 

 divided as to principal counties and the different uses for which 

 the stone was sold. 



