74 
[ Assembly 
it has for a few years past, it may become an object to dyke out several 
of these flats, and thus redeem some thousand acres. They are at pre- 
sent unproductive, except raising some oysters between Sing-Sing and 
Dobbs' Ferry. Oysters might probably be much more largely cultiva- 
ted in the Hudson than they have been. On Long-Island, Staten- 
Island, and in New- Jersey, it is made a profitable business. 
Salt Marshes. 
The salt marshes, and the fluviatile alluvions of the Hudson river, in 
the counties of New-York, Westchester and Putnam, which may be 
classed as incipient salt marshes, have already been considered. The 
salt marshes of New-York and Westchester counties, on the coast, were 
alluded to in the Second Annual Report on the Geology of the First Dis- 
trict, pp. 123, 125. The area of these marshes on the southeast coast of 
Westchester county, was estimated at 9 square miles, or 5,760 acres. 
The marshes of New-York county are described in the report of Prof. 
Gale, on the description of geology in that county, which will be found 
in the appendix to this report. The same remarks might be made on 
these marshes as to their origin, present and future uses, as were made 
on those described in the last year's report on Long and Staten-Islands.* 
They may be made highly productive lands for tillage; they contain 
inexhaustible supplies of manure; many of them contain an abundance 
of peat, which may be used as fuel, or for making carbonate of soda; 
and the marshes may also be used for salt works where a large surface 
may be exposed either to solar evaporation, or to the frosts of winter, 
to concentrate the sea water and prepare it for crystallization. 
Peat. 
This combustible alluvion is not uncommon in the counties under 
consideration; but it is not so abundant as in Columbia, Dutchess and 
Orange counties. It 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 manure peat 
of the salt marshes has already been alluded to. It may be estimated 
that there are 5 square miles of manure peat in the salt marshes of 
Westchester, or 3,200 acres, which will yield upon an average 1,000 
cords of peat of the second quality to the acre, or in round numbers, 
3,200,000 cords. The marshes of the Hudson river in New- York, 
Westchester and Putnam counties, that will yield peat, may be esti- 
mated at 1,000 acres, with a yield of 2,000 cords per acre, or 2,000,000 
* SecO'nd Annual Report on the Geology of tJie First District of Neic-York, page 124. 
