24 ' Geology^ ^c. cf the Connecticut 



Sketch ; Yet it seems worth noticing, but hardly of suffi- 

 cient importance to form a separate paper. 



In going westward from Connecticut river, we first pass 

 over an alluvial tract and then continue gradually to ascend, 

 for twenty miles, to the top of Green and Hoosak moun- 

 tains. As might be expected, the winters on this elevated 

 land continue two or three weeks later than in the valley ; 

 that is, the farmer can sow his seeds two or three weeks 

 earlier in the valley than on the hills. But in autumn, 

 the destructive frosts are usually as much later on the hills 

 than along the river : — so that one frequently passes from 

 the river in October, where almost every vegetable is des- 

 troyed, and finds the crops uninjured on these hills ; and 

 the crops there are about a fortnight later than those in the 

 vallies, so as to require this lengthening out of their lime of 

 ripening. I have been disposed to attribute this fact to the 

 greater moisfure of the atmosphere of the vallies, arising 

 from the more copious exhalations from the river, whereby 

 the effects of frost are greatly increased, even at the same 

 temperature. 



Tabular Arrangement of the Rock Formations alon^ the 

 Connecticut* 



* I here follow with pleasure the very simple yet in£;enious arrange- 

 ment of rocks, which is adopted by Conybeare and I-'hillips, as the basis 

 of their recent work on the Geology of England and Wales. It has the 

 rare nierit of being entirely free from hypothesis. It would be well if a 

 similar purifieatioji from the alloy of uncertain systems, could be extended 

 through every part of geology. The work, however, is rapidly advancing 

 and in the hands of such men as the authors of this work, and of Mc Cul- 

 loch, Greenough, Buckland, Webster, Borre, Cuvier, Brongiiiart, &c. we 

 confidently expect that it will be speedily accomplished. 



In the above table, I may have put down some rocks in the Inferior Or- 

 der, which the authors of this arrangement will place in the Submedial Or- 

 der. For their acoouot of these orders is not yet published ; and in the 

 general sketch, they have given, only a part of the rocks belonging to each 

 order are enumerated. 



