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[Assembly 
ter beds," generally separated by the vermicular rock," the " hopper 
shaped cavities," and other but less characteristic masses. 
There is a somewhat impure limestone which forms a part of the 
third and probably of the second deposit, not being able to assign one 
fixed position for it. It has a peculiar appearance when weathered, like 
that of having been hacked by a cutting instrument, and with some 
regularity. This is caused by cracks in two directions, giving a rhombic 
surface. Solution taking place at the cracks, and the cracks not being 
continuous nor regular as to distance, the appearance above mentioned 
is produced. The stone readily breaks in the direction of the furrows, 
and the fracture shows stains or marks of infiltration. 
Gypsum, or plaster, is extensively quarried in Madison and Onon- 
daga counties, along the line of the Erie canal, but in Cayuga there is 
little plaster obtained excepting on its lake shore. 
In Madison, all the plaster quarries are in the towns of Lenox and 
Sullivan, and all to the south of the Erie canal. Those of Lenox, on 
the Cowassalon creek, are Cobb's, Merrill's and Wright's. On the 
small creek which passes by Clockville and reunites with the Cowassa- 
lon, are the quarries of Judge Seeler and Mr, Lawrence. In the same 
broad range with these to the west, are those of Kennedy, Brown, Bull 
& Kellogg, &c. &c. In Sullivan, I examined only those near the vil- 
lage of Chittenango, the old Sullivan or old Patrick bed, which 
belongs to the first or lower range being to the east and north of the 
village, and Van Valkenburgh's, which is on the creek road to the 
falls, and belongs to the upper mass. 
The old Sullivan bed was the first plaster mass that was discovered. 
It was worked during the war, and the plaster was sent to the Hudson 
and to Philadelphia. It is not now worked, in consequence of the 
thickness of rock or calciferous materials which cover the plaster. The 
following diagram will show the contents of the quarry at the west end 
of the hill. 
1. "Vermicular rock, 2i to 3 feet, pores large. In the 
quarry east, the pores are large and small 
2. Mass of an olive colour, much altered, 2 feet thick. 
3. Variegated drab and blueish like marble, slaty as to layers, 
with numerous oblique cracks, 10 feet thick. 
4. Dark olive and brown mass, much altered, 20 feet to the 
bottom. In this the plaster was quarried, and when last 
worked J at the lower part. 
