114 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The methods alluded to are in general use throughout the 

 industry, not peculiar to the Alban}^ district by itself, so that the 

 same conditions probably hold with respect to sands of different 

 origins. 



Any plan for improvement of the practice would seem to have 

 its basis in the introduction of physical tests in line with those 

 employed in laboratory work, but not necessarily so refined or com- 

 prehensive as the latter. The Albany sands show a degree of con- 

 stancy in many features that makes for simplicity in the testing 

 operations. They are all quartz sands of high purity, at least the 

 weathered surface portion that is the source of practically the 

 whole output, and the constituent grains are of similar physical 

 development, differing only in size. The bond is also of similar 

 nature throughout. Consequently the features upon which the 

 varied properties of the sands in use depend are, first, the relative 

 grain sizes and, second, the clay percentages. A method for com- 

 parison of these features that is readily applicable in the field should 

 not prove difficult to find, in fact may be said to be already at hand. 

 The examination for size is merely a matter of screening with a 

 set of standard sieves, as explained in an article by Mr Karr.^ 

 The estimation of the percentage of clay bond is performed by 

 rubbing a moistened sample in the fingers to secure disintegration 

 and then shaking it well in a graduated glass cylinder with suffi- 

 cient water; the contents are then allowed to settle, when the clay 

 will form a distinct layer above the sand. The volumes of each 

 may then be read directly from the scale. This method is not very 

 precise, but sufficiently so probably to serve the purpose of field 

 classification. 



Production and Supply 



The present output is obtained from numerous localities that 

 altogether cover pretty well the whole district. By far the largest 

 share, however, comes from the central section, that is within a 

 stretch of 20 miles or so north and south of a line drawn between 

 Schenectady and Albany. Among the more important localities 

 for the shipment of the sands are Elnora, Round Lake and 

 Mechanicville, Saratoga county; Albany, Wemple, Selkirk and 

 Delmar, Albany county; South Schenectady and Carmen, Schenec- 

 tady county; Rensselaer and Van Hosens, Rensselaer county; 

 Coxsackie, Greene county ; Rhinecliff and New Hamburg, Dutchess 

 county; and Kingston, Ulster county. 



1 A preliminary report on molding sands. Amer. Foundrymen's Ass. 

 Trans., v. 24. Cleveland, 1916. 



