INTRODUCTION. XI 



Peekskill Creek and Croton River, which rise in Dutchess and Putnam 

 counties, run south westward across the north western part of West- 

 chester County to the Hudson. Saw Mill River runs from Mount 

 Pleasant to the Hudson at Yonkers; and Bronx River, the largest, 

 Hutchinson's and Mamaroneck Rivers run south into the East 

 River. Byram River runs from Westchester, principally in Connecti- 

 cut, and forms two miles of the State boundary from its mouth in East 

 River, which receives some other small streams from the south-east 

 angle of Westchester County, direct across the south-west angle of 

 Connecticut." 



"The soil of this County admits of no general character, except that 

 its tillage is productive to the agriculturist. The style of its agriculture 

 is in the first order, if we except Dutchess. The lower part has consid- 

 erable of ornamental farming and gardening, where are the seats of men 

 of opulence, cultivated with much taste." The manufactures are num- 

 erous. White Plains and Bedford are the half shire towns. " Tarry- 

 town, Sing Sing, and some others, are charming positions on the Hud- 

 son, where are small villages and landings with considerable trade. 

 Tappan Bay, a wide place in the Hudson, is here three miles in width, 

 where crowds of shipping are constantly seen passing in opposite direct- 

 tions, exhibiting a most elegant display of commercial activity. " a 



" The County of Westchester is based on primitive rock called hypo- 

 gene, or granite gneiss, long ridges of which intersect the county, with 

 here and there small veins of iron ore and quartz. Large numbers of 

 granite boulders are found here, both inland and on the coast ; also 

 some fine quarries of white marble, and two silver and gold mines at 

 Sing Sing and Peekskill." According to the late geographical survey 

 the principal minerals are, white marble, iron ore, galena, sulphate of 

 barytes, copper, iron and zinc, oxide of manganese, green carbonate of 

 copper, serpentine, calcareous spar, phoshate of lime, hydrate and 

 carbonate of magnesia, quartz, drusy, calcedony, agate, jasper, 

 hyroxene, hornblende, asbestos, actynolite, homolite, hyderous an- 

 thophylite, felspar, stilbite, garnet, epicote, chenite, tourmaline, sphene, 

 vandquelemite, magnetic pyrites, chromate of iron, red ochre and red 

 chalk. 



The natural growth of wood is very extensive, especially upon the 

 higher lands. Among the principal varieties may be enumerated the 

 White Oak, (Quercus Alba,) Red Oak, (Quercus Rubra,) Pin Oak, 

 (Quercus Paluster,) and the Black Oak, (Quertetron ;) the White Elm, 

 (Ulmus Americana;) Red or Slippery Elm, (Ulmus Fulva,) and the 

 a See Spafford's Gazetteer of N. Y. 



