BUILDING AND ORNAMENTAL STONES. 369 



methods of working and polishing the stone were, moreover, so little 

 understood tbat very poor results were obtained and tbe works were 

 sbortly discontinued as a consequence. 



In Eoxbury tbe American Verd-antique Marble Compauy early opened 

 quarries and erected a mill for sawing. Tbe business was pusbed quite 

 vigorously for a time, but owing to several causes, probably ihe same 

 as tbe first enumerated, tbe works were sbut down in 1858, and have 

 not since been re opened. A considerable quantity of the material was 

 taken out for the interior decorations of the United States Capitol ex- 

 tensions, but for some reason, unknown to the writer, it was never used. 



The Vermont stones are among the most beautiful of all our serpen- 

 tines and the best adapted for all kinds of interior decorative work. Tbe 

 colors are deep, bright green, traversed by a coarse network of white 

 veins. It is designated by Hunt * an ophiolite, and is stated by him to 

 be a mixture of serpentine, talc, and ferriferous carbonate of magnesia. 

 It acquires a smooth surface and beautiful polish, and it is a serious com- 

 ment upon American taste that there is not sufficient demand for the 

 material to cause the quarries to be re-opened. At Cavendish the rail- 

 road now passes within one-half mile of the quarry and good water- 

 power is close at baud, while the Eoxbury quarry is within 30 rods of the 

 railway station. The rock lacks the brecciated structure characteristic 

 of most foreign verd-antique, but compares more closely with the 

 variety known as Yerde di Genova than with any other with which the 

 author is acquainted. Among the other localities in this State in which 

 serpentine occurs may be mentioned Eichford, Montgomery, Jay, Troy, 

 Lowell, Middlesex, Wailsfield, Warren, Eochester, Ludlow, Windham, 

 Wadsborough, and Dover. 



Of the Lowell stone it is stated t that two ranges of serpentine occur, 

 commencing near the headwaters of the Missiseo and extending nearly 

 to Canada. " For the richness and number of the varieties it would not 

 seem possible that they can be surpassed, while their extent, amounting 

 to 20 or 30 square miles, is beyond the possible demand of all future 

 ages. They are exhibited in several precipitous ledges, which are easy 

 of access and of being worked." 



Concerning the locality at Troy, the same authority states: "Elegant 

 varieties are numerous, among which are most conspicuous the very 

 bright green noble serpentine, which covers most of the numerous jointed 

 faces with a coat of one-eighth to one-half of an inch thick, and the 

 spotted varieties. Numerous seams may render it difficult to obtain 

 large slabs, but smaller pieces, suitable for a great variety of ornamental 

 purposes, may be obtained, of great beauty and in any quantity." 



* T. S. Hunt, on Ophiolites, Am. Jour, of Sci., Vol. xxv, p. '239 ; second series, p. 

 226. 

 t Geology of Vermont, 1861, Vol. i, p. 544. 



H. Mis. 170, pt. 2 — ^24 



