252 Notice of a Mineralized Tree, <^c. 



in diameter — the bark — the fibrous texture of the wood 

 and two or three knots are very obvious— there is a sub- 

 stance very much resembhng veins disseminated through 

 what seems to have once been the sap vessels of the tree, 

 and from this circumstance, I am induced to beheve that 

 it belonged to the Genus Pinus, although others have sup- 

 posed it a Juglans. The lower part of the root is imbed- 

 ded in the soil, where it probably once grew. Vast quanti- 

 ties of mineralized wood both in small and large masses are 

 scattered in all directions around this stump — these frag- 

 ments from their loose porous texture, seem to have been 

 petrified, after the wood began to decay. Indeed so nume- 

 rous are these fragments that almost every stone in this vi- 

 cinity appears to have been once a living plant. The trav- 

 eller who feels interested in mineralogical pursuits, will 

 find Chitteningo well worthy of his attention. Besides the 

 treejust mentioned, hydraulic lime-stone and beautiful la- 

 mellar gypsum are found in this neighbourhood ; and a- 

 bout two miles from the village, a spring of water, so high- 

 ly charged with sulphur, that branches of trees, thrown 

 jnto it, soon becomes incrusted with that mineral. 



2. Rocking Slo7ie. 



Moveable rocks, or masses of stone so nicely balanced 

 as to be set in motion by a very small force, have excited 

 the attention of both ancient and modern writers. As far 

 as my information extends, there is but one of these famous 

 rocks, noticed as being found in the United States — this is 

 in Morse's Geography. When mentioning the curiosities 

 in New-Hampshire, the author makes the following state- 

 ment: "In the town of Durham, is a rock computed to 

 weigh sixty or seventy tons. It lies so exactly poised on 

 another rock as to be easily moved with one finger. It is 

 on the top of a hill and appears to be natural." Putnam's 

 rock, mentioned in the last number of your Journal, seems 

 also to have been of this description. This rocking stone 

 which I visited last spring, is situated on the farm of Mrs. 

 McCabbe in Phillips Town, Putnam County, New-York. 

 The West-Chester and Dutchess turnpike road, which runs 

 a north east direction from the village of Peekskill to the 

 town of Kent, lies about one mile to the east of this rock. 

 The person who wishes to visit it must travel eight miles 



