Mr. Pierce on the Alluvial District of J^ew- Jersey. 237 



Abt. II. — JVotice of the Alluvial District of JSfew-Jersey, 

 with remarks on the application of the rich marl of that 

 region to agriculture. By James Pierce, Esq. 



The triangular peninsula situated in the southern part of 

 New-Jersey is bordered on the south and east by Delaware 

 Bay and the ocean, on the north by the Raritan, and west 

 by the river Delaware. It is about one hundred and ten 

 miles in length by eighty in breadth, and is entirely alluvial. 

 South of the Nevesink hills it seldom rises sixty feet above 

 the sea. These hills border Amboy Bay and the entrance 

 of Shrewsbury creek for several miles, and extend with di- 

 minished height to the Delaware. They are elevated adja- 

 cent to the sea three hundred and ten feet above its level, and 

 occupy ground where formerly the waves of the ocean roll- 

 ed. They rest in some places on banks of oyster-shells 

 and other marine relics, blended with clay and sea-mud. 

 Above the calcareous beds is a layer of dark clay. A sandy 

 earth highly colored by oxide of iron and imbedding red- 

 dish brown sand and pudding stone cemented by iron, com- 

 poses the higher strata — large rocks and beds of ferrugin- 

 ous sandstone, apparently in place, of a more recent forma- 

 tion than the alluvial region below, and embracing sufficient 

 metal to be called an ore of iron, are of frequent occur- 

 rence. 



Particles of iron are blended with the sand of the beach. 

 Some of the streams which descend from the top of the 

 clay strata are red with oxide of iron. 



Efflorescences of the sulphates of iron and alumine are 

 often observed. Flame proceeding from the spontaneous 

 combustion of gases probably generated in beds of sulphu- 

 ret of iron, has been noticed on these mountains. 



The strata of the steep eastern declivities are exhibited 

 by frequent land slips. But a small portion of the eastern 

 section of the Nevesink hills is under cultivation. They 

 present a woody region, in which deer are sometimes shel- 

 tered. From the summit of these hills a view of the ocean 

 is dis'Closed in grandeur unrivalled on our sea-board. The 

 coast is presented to the north-east and south as far as vis- 

 ion can reach. The land prospect is extensive and inter- 

 esting. 



