84: ECONOMICAL MINERALOGY. 



of several feet.* Shoitld these marshes be drained, they will furnish an enormous quantity of 

 the richest manure. 



Cattaraugus County. There are several beds of tufa and marl in this county. The 

 largest heretofore discovered is about two miles southeast of the village of Lodi, on a branch 

 of the Cattaraugus creek. Several thousand bushels of lime have annually been obtained from 

 this bed. Another locality of marl occurs in the eastern part of Otto, which has been worked 

 for some years. To these several* others may be added, and it is supposed that there is a 

 sufficient abundance of marl and tufa in this county to furnish immediately 300,000 bushels 

 of lime.t 



Chautauque County. Large deposits of shell marl are found in Cassadaga lake, and the 

 marshes which nearly divide it into two portions. In consequence of the scarcity of limestone, 

 it has long been used for burning into lime. It is made into the form of bricks, and then 

 burned. About two thousand bushels of lime are thus armually manufactured. 



Chemung County. There are extensive beds of shell marl at the Beaverdam in the town 

 of Dix, and near Horseheads ; and as is the case in Chautauque county, it is cut into blocks, 

 and then dried and burned into lime. Near Millport, also, it is said that there exist abundant 

 deposits of marl ; and Mr. Hall states, that in that vicinity, the water flowing through the soil, 

 and rising from springs, is so highly impregnated with lime,J that on standing a few hours 

 while the carbonic acid escapes, a thin deposit of calcareous matter is observed. || 



Columbia County. The deposits of marl are perhaps as abundant in this county as in 

 any other in the State. They occur in Lebanon, Kinderhook, Hillsdale, Canaan and Copake. 

 At some of these localities, shell marl is in the process of formation at the present time. Mr. 

 Mather estimates that there are 100,000 cart loads of marl in Peat Marl Pond, about four 

 miles north of Kinderhook. When it is recollected that a large quantity of gypsum is an- 

 nually consumed in this county as a manure, it is certainly remarkable that an article which 

 can in most cases be employed with equal advantage, should be almost entirely neglected. It 

 cannot be doubted, however, that its value will soon be duly appreciated. 



Cortland County. There are three marl ponds a short distance west of Cortlandville, 

 covering an area of about twenty-five acres. Several small ones occur in the northern part of 

 the county. In the vicinity of Cortlandville, large quantities are annually used for burning 

 into lime. Still the deposits seem to be gradually increasing.^ The marl usually abounds in 

 shells. 



Dutchess County. In this as well as the neighbouring county (Columbia), the deposits 

 of marl are numerous and abundant. They have been noticed in the towns of Rhinebeck, 



 New-York Geological Reports, 1839. f Horsford. A'no-lVi Geological Sevorts, 1840. 



t Undoubtedly in the form of a soluble bicarbonate of lime. II New-York Geological Reports, 1839. 



^ Vanuxem. New-York Geological Reports, 1840. 



