Mineralogy of New Yoi-k. 25 



Art. III.— Mineralogy of Neio York — comprising detailed de- 

 scriptions of the Minerals hitherto found in the State of New 

 York) and notices of their uses in the Arts and Agriculture ; 

 by Lewis C. Beck, M. D., Prof, of Chem. and Nat. Hist, in 

 Rutgers College, N. J. pp. 536 4to, with numerous wood-cuts 

 and lithographs. Albany, 1842. 



The volume before us is one from the series of reports, pub- 

 lished by the State of New York as the result of the late scien- 

 tific survey. The extent of the state and the variety of its rock 

 formations, give unusual interest to its scientific history, and es- 

 pecially to its mineralogy and geology. So large a proportion of 

 American minerals are numbered among its productions, that the 

 report by Dr. Beck may be considered a national rather than a 

 state work ; and the satisfactory manner in which the subject 

 has been handled, renders it an highly important book of refer- 

 ence for the American mineralogist. 



Prof. Beck has treated first, of the economical mineralogy of 

 the state, giving the results of his observations upon the mineral 

 productions useful in the arts : next, in part second, he has given 

 a descriptive account of all its mineral species, together with 

 detailed notices of their localities and associations. To this is 

 added a short notice of other American minerals, not yet discov- 

 ered in the state. Our remarks upon Prof. Beck's report will 

 consist principally of facts cited from the work. 



The mineral resources of New York are peculiarly well calcu- 

 lated for permanent prosperity. She has her mines of iron, lead 

 and mangauese — inexhaustible stores of salt in her salines — mar- 

 ble, abundant, and of many kinds — building material in profusion 

 — limestone for common and hydraulic cement — clays for brick 

 and pottery — and agricultural advantages unsurpassed in the east- 

 ern portion at least of our country, with the means at hand in her 

 beds of gypsum, limestone and marl, for perpetuating the fertility 

 of her lands. Excepting coal, which abounds in the adjoining 

 states, she possesses all those important products which afford to 

 the people sure and substantial means of industry and wealth. 



Iron ores. — The beds of iron ore are inexhaustible, and are dis- 

 tributed in almost every county ; the magnetic, specular, argillace- 

 ous and hematitic ores are all abundant, and are largely worked. 



Vol. xlvi, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1843. 4 



