302 ANALYSES OF WATERS. 



the State, is a fact of considerable interest, and wliicli especially throws light upon their 

 origin. 



Sulphur springs are known from observation to issue from every geological formation in 

 the State ; indeed, almost every rock furnishes this kind of water. The Primary system 

 gives origin to fewer springs of this description, than the superior ones. The production 

 of the acid waters which have been briefly referred to, is probably due to the decomposi- 

 tion of waters which contain the sulphates. The decomposition may be brought about by 

 organic matter ; thus, near Cherryvalley, two acid springs, issuing from a marshy place 

 in which there was a large deposit of peaty matter, had charred a thick mass over twenty- 

 five feet in diameter. This black material was decidedly sour ; and it seemed highly 

 probable that the same waters beneath, and before they came in contact with the organic 

 matter, were merely the common mineral waters which abound in sulphates. The acid 

 springs of New-York belong, I l)elieve, exclusively to the rocks near the Salt group. De- 

 composing pyrites, in contact with organic matter, as wood, in the Tertiary and Cretaceous 

 formations, produce the acid sulphate of iron, liy wliirli tiie wood is not only blackened, 

 but completely carlionized. 



Another class of mineral springs abound in Central New-York, and constitute the well 

 known salines, which consist principally of the chloride of sodium. These springs or 

 wells have been fully described in Dr. Beck's Report on the Mineralogy of the State, and 

 hence refjuire here only a brief notice. For the purpose of giving instances of all the 

 waters known, I deem it proper to give one or two examples of the analysis of these 

 waters. Dr. Beck's nnnlvsis of the Salinn and Syracuse wells of brine are therefore 

 subjoined. 



Salina. Syracuse. 



Sp.gr. 1-110. Sp.gr. 1'104. 



Sahne matter in 1000 grs 146'50 139-53 



Carbonate of lime 0'17 0-14 



Sulphate of lime 4-72 5-69 



Chloride of calcium 1-04 0-83 



Chloride of magnesium 0'5I 0*46 



Chloride of sodium 140-02 132-39 



Oxide of iron and silica, and carbonate of lime.. 0-04 0-02 



Carbonic acid 0-09 0-07 



Water, with a trace of organic matter and bromine, 853 '41 860-40 



Tlic Salina water contains 1130 grains of pure and perfectly dry chloride of sodium in a 

 wine pint, and 9045 grains or 1'29 pounds avoirdupois in a gallon : it therefore requires 

 forty-three and a half gallons to yield a bushel of salt weighing fifty-six pounds. In the 

 Syracuse well there are 1063 grains of dry chloride of sodium in a wine pint of brine, and 

 8506 grains or 1 • 21 pounds avoirdupois in a gallon ; and hence it requires forty-six and 

 a quarter gallons for a bushel of perfectly dry salt.* 



•I,. C. Beck's Report, pp. 10.5, lur,. 



