4 NORTHERN HIGHLAND DISTRICT. 



DIVISIO.V OF THE STATE INTO AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS. 



New-York may be divided into six agricultural districts, each of which has a few charac- 

 teristics sufficiently well marked to establish a pecidiarity, and distinguish it as a separate 

 agricultural region. 



1. The Highland districts, comprising the Northern and the Southern highland districts; 



2. The Eastern district, which approaches the Hudson river, with its western boundary 



runninc: parallel to the same ; 



3. The Mohawk and Hudson vallies; 



4. The Western district ; 



5. The Southern district ; and 



6. The Atlantic district. 



Without placing much stress upon the importance of this subdivision, I barely remark 

 that there are geological features Itclonging to each, which can not be disregarded, and 

 which will be given to the reader in the proper places. It is now my design to state the 

 peculiarities which belong to surface oidy, or the facts relating to elevation and depression, 

 or what would more immediately arrest the attention of a traveller passing over those 

 particular districts. 



I. The Highland districts are widely separated from each other, but possess characters 

 in common. 



1. The Northern highland district is bounded north by the parallel of 45° ; on the 

 northeast, it extends to Rand's hill in Clinton county ; on the east, it is bounded by Lake 

 Champlain from Trembleau point south to Fort-Ann ; on the southeast and south, by a 

 line running from the latter point southwest to Littlefalls, southwest and west by a line 

 running from Littlefalls to Theresa falls on Lidian river, and on the northwest by a line 

 from the latter place to near Chateaugay corners. The space included within these 

 boundary lines is an irregular polygon, and embraces formations belonging to the primary 

 divisions or classes. The soil is generally derived from granite and gneiss ; is thin upon 

 the higher grounds, but of sufficient depth in the valleys, and is every where covered by 

 a black vegetable mould. IJut what distinguishes this district from all others, is its height 

 above tide, and the multitude of its sharp peaks and ridges. Its greatest height is near 

 the sources of the Hudson, Ausablc, Racket, Black and Mohawk rivers, all of which rise 

 as it were upon the same table land, but are destined to distant portions of the State, and 

 to be lost in waters in opposite points of the compass. Tliis district therefore slopes in all 

 directions from a culminating point, is steeper upon the east than upon the west, and is 

 the great reservoir from whence a large portion of the State is watered. The highest point 

 exceeds five thousand feet, which is gained at Mount Marcy in the Adirondack group, 

 situated about forty miles west of Port Henry on Lake Champlain. 



