SODA. 199 



LOCALITIES. 



This mineral has not yet been found in its sohd or fossil form in this State, although it 

 exists largely in solution. I have elsewhere given the reasons \yhich lead me to believe that 

 the brine springs of Onondaga county have their origin in beds of this mineral (pages 119 et 

 seq.) 



The most important brine springs in the State are those of Onondaga county, where salt 

 has been for many years extensively manufactured. In some cases the water of these springs 

 contains from eighteen to nineteen per cent, of saline matter, of which upwards of seventeen 

 per cent, is pure common salt. Besides this last, the water of these springs contains carbonate 

 and sulphate of lime, chlorides of calcium and magnesium, oxide of iron, silica and organic 

 matter, with some compound containing bromine ; all, however, in small and variable propor- 

 tions. 



I have already given a full account of the localities of our brine springs, the mode of manu- 

 facturing salt, etc., for which the reader is referred to page 99. I will only add, that common 

 salt is one of the ingredients of those efflorescences which are found on the limestone near 

 Rochester, in Monroe county. 



Since the preceding part of my Report has passed through the press, I have analyzed a 

 brine from a boring of upwards of five hundred feet, at the village of Montezuma, and which 

 is remarkable for the large proportion of saline matter which it contains. The specific gravity 

 of this brine is 1.18959, water being 1.00000. 1000 grains of the brine contain 230.30 

 grains of perfectly dry saline matter. The strength of the specimen may be judged of by the 

 fact, that 1000 grains of water entirely saturated with common salt, contain from 260 to 270 

 grains of that salt ; so that if there were nothing in this brine but common salt, it would be 

 within three or four per cent, of complete saturation : but this is far from being the case. 



The following are the constituents in 1000 grains of this brine : 



Sulphate of lime, with a minute portion of carbonate of lime and oxide 



of iron, «.. 0.69 



Chloride of calcium, 90.24 



Chloride of magnesium, 8.05 



Common salt (pure and dry), 131 .32 



Water, with traces of organic matter, 769 . 70 



It will require from forty-three to forty-five gallons of this brine to furnish a bushel of salt in 

 the ordinary state of dryness. 



The following statement will exhibit the value of this brine, as compared with the best 

 specimens heretofore obtained from Syracuse and from Montezuma : 



ORURS. 



Proportion of common salt in 1 00 grains of this brine, ».. — 13.13 



Ditto ditto in 100 grs. best Syracuse brine, 17.35 



Ditto ditto in 100 grs. best Montezuma brine, 9 . 33 



