Mr, Pierce on the Catskill Mountains. 95 



found at various elevations, but most frequently as a lower strat- 

 um, and is observed in deep ravines. It is least abundant in 

 the section south of the Platterkill. This argillaceous sand- 

 stone, exposed to air and moisture, decomposes easily and 

 forms a good soil. 



A second and most common variety is a coarse gray 

 wacke slate, which lies in regular strata, the position in some 

 places horizontal, but in general with a small inchnation to 

 the west. It is composed of silicious grains with an argilla- 

 ceous cement. The third description of rock is a pudding- 

 stone containing smooth, and apparently water worn pebbles 

 of different sizes of white, red, and gray quartz, combined 

 by argillaceous, and fine silicious materials. The ledges of 

 'pudding-stone which are often of great height and extent, 

 are most frequently remarked in the upper regions of the 

 mountains. 



Ledges of gray wacke slate and argillaceous sandstone, 

 richly impregnated with alum and often embracing sulphuret 

 of iron, are of frequent occurrence. 



Native alum is abundant near the Schoharie in the town of 

 Blenheim. It is found in a ledge near the foot of the Kauters- 

 kill clove, and in the rocks of the eastern side of the moun- 

 tain north of the Kauterskill for several miles, sometimes 

 pendant in stalactical form. Alum often occursin the south- 

 ern section, both on the eastern face of the range, and in 

 gray wacke slate of the interior ravines, sometimes in incrus- 

 tations, lumps and stalactites. Profitable manufactures of alum 

 may perhaps be established in the Catskill mountains. The 

 salt can in some places be extracted from the decomposing 

 rock by lixiviation alone, but in general a calcination would 

 probably be necessary. 



Sulphuret of iron has been frequently noticed in the south- 

 ern part of the mountains, and plumbago in a few places. 

 There are indications of copper. Several tons of iron said to 

 resemble that of the highlands were procured from the 

 Catskill range, in the vicinity of the Bristol glass manufac- 

 tory, but diminishing in quantity, the mine was abandoned. 



1 have observed narrow strata or seams of coal at several 

 places in the southern part of the Catskill ridge. The widest 

 is situated in a perpendicular ledge of gray wacke slate on the 

 eastern face of the mountain, in the tov/n of Woodstock, Ul- 

 ster County, at an elevation ol about 1000 feet above the 



