r80 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



form fertile soils. These muck areas are usually found in the 

 depressions, and represent the site of former ponds, which have 

 been filled up by accumulations of vegetable matter and sedi- 

 ment. 



Extinct lakes of small size are scattered all over the state, and 

 are located either in closed valleys, natural rock basins, or de- 

 pressions in the glacial drift. Indeed, these glacial lakelets are 

 extremely abundant, as would be expected in a state so heavily 

 drift-covered. Many of these are only of a few acres in extent, 

 and, while sufficient to supply peat for farming purposes, would 

 not pay to work in case the peat were to be extracted for fuel, 

 gas-making, etc. 



Many of the muck areas show a great depth of material (25 

 feet or more) which is often quite elastic, so that a person stand- 

 ing on the soil can feel the jar of a light buggy passing at a 

 distance of 25 feet. There is also apt to be both horizontal and 

 vertical variation in the character of the material. Where peaty 

 matter exists, it frequently becomes more impure with depth, 

 but, on the other hand, frequent tilling may have developed a 

 loamy soil on the surface, which covers the better peat below. 



These muck areas have been referred to by Mather, Vanuxem 

 and Emmons as peat deposits in their reports on the geology 

 of New York State; and it is interesting to quote their remarks 

 as a comparison of early conditions with those now existing. 



Mather 1 writes in his report for 1838 that 



It (peat) is now coming into use as a fuel, and must, before 

 many years, be extensively employed for this purpose in this part 

 of the country, where coal and wood are so expensive. The 

 marshes of the Hudson river, in New York, Westchester and 

 Putnam counties, that will yield peat, may be estimated at 1000 

 acres, with a yield of 2000 cords per acre, or 2,000,000 cords. 

 These include those near Sing Sing, Yerplanek, Peeks-kill, 

 Anthony's Nose, Constitution Island, and numerous smaller 

 ones. The peat in most of these marshes, where it was ex- 

 amined, is of inferior quality, fibrous, and contains much earthy 

 matter. That formed in marshes in the interior of those coun- 

 ties is of much better quality, and far superior as an article of 

 fuel. 



And later 2 in his report for 1839, he writes : 



I would again urge upon our farmers and other citizens the im- 



ir rhird Annual Report on Geology of First District, p.74. 

 2 Fourth Annual Report on Geology of First District, p.216. 



