354 Depositions of Calcareous Tufa. 



in crystals failed ; moreover I have always observed, that those 

 crystals obtained by the aid of potassa had more or less of a red- 

 dish tinge, and were very brittle. 



Piperin, when pure, crystallizes in right square prisms occasionally 

 presenting an anomaly, the crystals, particularly those obtained through 

 the means of potassa, being hollow, or containing and interior decre- 

 ment, the four vertical sides being entire and shewing the form of the 

 crystal. Insoluble in water, soluble in cold alcohol and more so when 

 warm, insoluble in acetic or other acids. It has been employed lat- 

 terly in Italy as a febrifuge. 



If you think the above worthy of being made public, will you have 

 the goodness to give it a place in the next number of your excellent 

 Journal of Science and Arts. 



Art. XX. — An account of Depositions of Calcareous Tufa, at Chit- 

 teningo, Madison County, JV. York; by Edward Sanford, Pro- 

 fessor of the Natural Sciences in the Polytechnic School at tliat 

 place. 



The fact of their being a petrified tree in the north east part of 

 this village, has long been known to the public, as well as to sci- 

 entific travellers; and it has also been noticed in some publica- 

 tions. But I believe the general impression among all who are 

 not intimately acquainted with the Geology and Mineralogy of this 

 district, is, that the calcareous matter took the place of the veg- 

 etable fibres, in the trunk of this tree, many years ago, and that since 

 that time the depositions have been discontinued. The petrifi- 

 ed trunk of this tree may have been in the first place, twelve or 

 fifteen feet in length ; but it has been so long resorted to, for 

 the purpose of obtaining specimens, that it has nearly all been re- 

 moved ; and what now remains, is so situated, that good pieces can 

 be separated only with much difficulty. For the purpose of correc- 

 ting the impression, that there are no similar depositions in this im- 

 mediate vicinity, and of pointing the mineralogist to the best places, 

 for obtaining specimens, I make the following statements. The rock 

 which constitutes the frame work of the hill, on the east side of this 

 village on the sides and around the base of which, the petrifactions 

 are found, is called calciferous slate, in Prof. Eaton's arrangement of 



