350 Mineralogy of Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, JV.Y. 



■of the Hemlock, and both hemlock and birch roots, from one to two 

 feet in length, and several inches in diameter, which, although they 

 are completely converted into bog ore, retain their original appear- 

 ance very perfectly. In the same town, ten miles south of the fur- 

 nace at Fullerville, is a rich deposit of iron ore, known as the Wil- 

 son ore bed. Here we find the red oxide and the granular mica- 

 ceous oxide of iron. This last contains numerous cavities or geodes, 

 completely studded with thin very brilliant plates or crystals, resem- 

 bling specimens of the same ore from Elba. The proprietor of the 

 furnace at Fullerville, attempted to work this ore, but owing to some 

 unknown cause, he did not succeed in reducing it. He states that 

 when he was attempting its reduction, the furnace was filled with very 

 offensive funics, which, as he supposes, caused the sickness of seve- 

 ral of his workmen, and in consequence, the ore, which is undoubt- 

 edly very rich, was abandoned. 



No odor is perceptible when this mineral is struck with a hammer, 

 <3r when submitted to the flame of a lamp, urged with a blow-pipe. 

 From Duane, Franklin Co. we have hypersthene and octahedral 

 iron ore, strongly magnetic ; a piece weighing about four ounces lifts a 

 Jarge nail. It is said to be abundant. 



A singular iron ore has recently been discovered at this place by 

 Mr. Duane, which is capable of being converted directly into steel, 

 without undergoing previous cementation. Mr. Duane has erected ex- 

 tensive works for the conversion of this ore into steel, and the article is 

 in market, and bears a good price. This ore is not the spathic iron 

 or proper steel ore. it resembles the octahedral iron, but is only 

 slightly attracted by the magnet. It is perhaps a form of the specu- 

 lar iron, but we were not aware that this ore was capable of being 

 manufactured directly into steel. 



Plumose Iron Pyrites in fine specimens, is found at Champion, in 

 Jefferson Co. 



Galena in rolled masses of considerable size, is found in alluvial 

 «arth and clay, near the shore of Lake Ontario, in the town of Hen- 

 derson, Jefferson Co. Since our visit to these localities, we have re- 

 ceived through Dr. Murdock, of Gouverneur, copper-colored mica in 

 broad folia. Among our specimens we notice rhombic prisms (the 

 primitive form) and six sided prisms several inches in diameter. 



As soon as other engagements will permit, we intend to explore 

 this region more thoroughly, as we have no doubt it will richly repay 

 any mineralogist for the time he may devote to its examination. 



