24 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 
many statements of proprietors and prospectors, to the effect that our 
sulphurets are auriferous and argentiferous. If they are assuredly cor- 
rect in their estimates of value, a wide field is opened for profitable 
investment. Several circumstances must qualify the value of the esti- 
mates made :—First, all chemists do not agree in obtaining the compara- 
tively large results asserted by some. We have to consider whether this 
is the result of greater skill, on the one hand, or, on the other, to a read- 
iness to stimulate their business. Second, the specimens assayed are 
usually the best of their kind. Third, if several trials have been made, 
the proprietor usually mentions only the best, neglecting to state how 
many have proved unfavorable. We should, however, remember that 
the precious metals may occur in chimneys throughout the sulphuret 
veins as well as in the quartz, so that it is easy to explain a varying rich- 
ness in them. 
First of all, is the statement of Prof. Wurtz, previously quoted, that 
galena at the east base of Gardner’s mountain contains $18.63 of gold to 
the ton of sulphuret. This ore is not very abundant,—not sufficiently so 
to be worth working, in the estimate of the present proprietor. Several 
of the copper properties along the Gardner Mountain range have been 
found to contain gold, up to $15 to the ton, by Prof. F. L. Bartlett, of 
Portland, Me. Such are the Stevens mine in Bath, and the Gardner 
Mountain mine in Littleton. I have had a similar statement as to the 
value of the Paddock copper ore, from C. H. Crosby. 
A friend of mine interested in this question has investigated it quite 
thoroughly for his own satisfaction. It had been stated that the Ver- 
shire copper ore frequently carried $60 of gold to the ton. Others 
claimed a higher figure. He selected for the test a beautiful piece of 
iron and copper pyrites from Corinth, as rich as any that could be found, 
and apparently perfectly free from silica. It was placed in the hands of 
a skilful analyst, with a full statement of the question at issue. In order 
to ensure accuracy, the best method of analysis, at double price, was 
employed. The report states that the amount of gold contained in the 
Corinth ore is 27-100 of an ounce to the ton of 2,000 pounds. This 
would be, in round numbers, about $5 to the ton. The result is valua- 
ble, both disposing of the wild statements afloat as to the great richness 
of many of our sulphurets, and indicating that the Vermont copper ores 
