198 TKANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



of St. Lawrence, lies between the 33d and 49th degrees of north latitude, 

 corresponding to the latitudes between Algiers and Paris and Vienna — 

 indeed, Vienna lies farther north than Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took its 

 name from the fact that the country around was known from time immemo- 

 rial as the wine region; while along the American coast the country has 

 the advantage of the Gulf stream, which comes full and bold into the coast, 

 shedding down abundant rains and snows and filling the ground with 

 ammonia, and other productions of the sea air, the most healthful for both 

 animals and trees. Indeed, there is no country in the world where the 

 trees grow more healthy, strong, compact and fruitful than along the moun- 

 tain ranges in Maine, and New England in general. 



The gneiss and granite yield feldspar, silex and mica in abundance. The 

 mica slate yields silex, iron, sulphur, manganese, lime and alumen. The 

 primitive limestone yields lime, magnesia and silex, together with carbon 

 in the foi'm of carbonic acid or fixed air; while the talcose slates yield 

 magnesia, lime, silex, alumen, sulphur and many of the carbonacious 

 minerals. The soils from these rocks are generally retentive of 'moisture, 

 which is essential to the healthy growth of all fruits. The alumen of feld- 

 spar, which is one of the most abundant ingredients of gneiss, granite and 

 mica slate, is often composed of potash in quantities, of from thirteen to 

 twenty-two per cent. So, soda is found in various forms associated with 

 feldspar, and in mica slate, oftentimes with the minerals in the other primi- 

 tive rocks. Magnesia is one of the ingredients of the talcose formation. 

 Then lime is found more or less abundant in all the primitive rocks, but, in 

 primitive limestone, the carbonate of lime is its principal ingredient. 

 Sulphur plays another important function in fruits, in combination with 

 lime, magnesia, soda, potash and acids. Phosphoric .acid is many times 

 found in quantities, combined with lime, magnesia and other ingredients; 

 wliile the combinations of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon from the 

 atmosphere, go to make up the delicate ingredients of fruit, that give a 

 luscious relish to them when ripened and put on our tables for use. Great 

 are the mysteries of nature! and none are more so than the production of 

 fruits from a few seemingly simple ingredients, most of which we have 

 above named. 



■ We have said tliat the formations of primitive rocks in New England 

 contain all or most of the ingredients which are combined in various kinds 

 of fruits. The primitive rocks in Maine are peculiarly so, while in Rhode 

 Island and the Western part of Massachusetts the granite and primitive 

 ridges along the Green Mountains are equally so. 



The Green Stone range of rocks, which are evidently volcanic, beginning 

 at Greenfield in Franklin county, and at Belchertown, in Hampshire county, 

 Mass., and running through the whole length of Mount Holyoke and Tom 

 range, and terminating at the East and West Rock, near New Haven, show 

 on analysis a large share of alumina, potash, soda and lime. And it is to 

 be remarked, that no finer or better fruit is found than that taken from the 

 fruit trees along the sides and declivities of this Green Stone range, while 

 in the western part of Massachusetts the limestone and talcose and mica 

 .slates and granite are found to be rich in potash, soda, magnesia, carbon- 

 ates of lime, manganese, sulphates of lime and iron. The soil of New 



