No. 161.] 
117 
really the primitive, and embraced in primitive rocks, extremely 
fetid, and filled with decomposing pyrites. r 
The salt formed by pyrites after decomposition, we have con- 
jectured was also beneficial to plants. This idea occurred to us a 
number of years since, when on a visit to the New- Jersey marl pits. 
There the marl abounds in pyrites, which slowly decomposes and 
forms a sulphate of iron, which we conceive may and does act on 
the vegetable, in a way to promote its growth. Leaving this sa- 
line matter out of the question, we think there can be but little 
doubt that all the limestones which can be reduced to powder with- 
out too much expense, may be profitably employed as a manure. 
If we were called upon to judge, a priori, of the probable eflfcct of 
the carbonate and sulphate of lime, we should say, there was more 
probability of the former doing good than the latter, as it is much 
more soluble. This subject is one of importance to the farming- 
interest, as limestone may be obtained where plaster cannot, with- 
out incurring too much expense in transportation. 
The rock which next succeeds the primitive, belongs to the tran- 
sition class. It is called provincially sandstone, but is probably 
the calciferous sandrock of Eaton. It is always stratified, but has 
no regular dip. It consists entirely of silex when it is perfectly 
developed, and at a distance from the transition limestone under 
which it passes or becomes blended. In many places it is red, es- 
pecially when it comes near the granite; but not always, even 
when in contact with it. It is sometimes a light gray, or nearly 
pure white. At Hammond Landing it is about 150 feet thick. At 
Rossie, 8 miles distant, it is much broken up, and is scarcely, and not 
more than 10 feet. The inferior layers are slightly conglomera- 
ted, and it is rather common to find some portions of those layers 
containing angular fragments. 
This rock is important for three purposes :^ — 1st, as a building 
stone; 2d, it is a good material for the hearths of furnaces; and 
3d, when pure and white it makes an excellent sand for the manu- 
facture of glass. 
Its value as a building stone depends on its regular and beautiful 
stratification, and the ease with which it may be quarried and bro- 
ken into quadrangular forms of a convenient size. It answers the 
second purpose well, from its infusible nature, and its little liabili- 
ty to crack or exfoliate, when exposed to a high heat. In employ- 
