No. 276.] 
215 
It is not improbable but that our verd antique may find a market 
abroad, and it would be well for those who are personally interested 
in the subject to prepare samples of it and send them to England. This 
variety is known to be scarce in Europe, and it might be introduced for 
tables and other ornamental purposes at once, if there should be a judi- 
cious selection of the varieties. 
In polishing it, it is necessary to observe more care in giving the final 
finish. The serpentine being softer than the limestone, wears away 
more rapidly, and if regard is not given to this part, the former wears 
below the surface of the latter, and may not therefore be brought into so 
direct a contact with the polishing agents; it may be left with less lustre, 
though it is as susceptible of receiving a high polish as the limestone. 
This variety of marble occurs abundantly in Moriah, Warrensburgh, 
Athol and Johnsburgh. It is an unstratified rock, but breaks readily 
into oblong masses of a shape suitable for working in the ordinary mills 
for sawing stone. Its occurrence is similar to the primitive limestones 
which were described in my last year's report. 
In selecting quarries of this material, it will be necessary to reject 
those which contain masses of the silicious minerals, as quartz, augite, 
scapolite and hornblende. Experience will, it is believed, establish the 
opinion I entertam, and which I have often expressed, that those masses 
do not extend into the interior of the rock, but are confined mostly to 
its surface. 
This rock is always more or less weathered upon the surface; hence 
it presents a rough, ragged aspect, which arises from the disintegration 
of the limestone, leaving the serpentine in relief. This effect is pro- 
duced by long exposure, and is no objection at all to the rock, as might 
at the first view indicate. All rocks are weathered more or less, even 
the hardest, or those composed of silex. The limestone, when pure, 
in weathering undergoes the change uniformly, and therefore leaves an 
even surface; whereas the verd antique is composed of two materials, 
one of which is acted upon more than the other; hence the latter is left 
in irregular shaped masses on the surface. This fact entirely conceals 
the character of the rock, and an ordinary observer would not suspect 
to find in it a marble, or a rock which could receive a polish. Another 
fact of importance in regard to this stone, is that it is very strong and 
sound, and appears, though no experiments have been made in regard 
to it, equally strong in every direction. Its soundness appears at once 
when struck with a hammer, in ringing sharply like good earthem ware. 
