60 
[Assembly 
only by experiments conducted on a large scale, and by a careful com- 
parison of the results with those afforded by the varieties of this mine- 
ral now in use. 
Peat and marl are to be included among the useful products of this 
county. Of these, there are several important localities which cannot 
fail to be of great value. According to Mr. Mather, there exist beds 
of marble in the towns of Hillsdale and Copake, equal to those of 
Stockbridge and Egremont, in Massachusetts.* 
Columbia county contains several sulphur and chalybeate springs, 
and one which possesses great interest in consequence of its evolving 
nitrogen gas, viz : the Lebanon springs, which are too well known to 
need any further notice. 
The following minerals have also been found in this county, viz. 
Graphite — Several unimportant localities. 
Sulphate of barytes — Associated with the lead ore at Ancram. 
. Calcareous tufa — Several localities. 
Brown spar — Several localities, in the slate rock. 
Sulphate of lime — has been found in small quantities at Hudson. 
Crystallized quartz, fetid and milky quartz, and basanite — Of each 
of these there are several localities, 
xilum — In the form of efflorescence. 
Epidote — Is credited to this county, but I have not met with it. 
Iron pyrites — Several localities. 
Sulphuret of copper, pyritous copper, and green carbonate of cop- 
per — All found in company with lead ore. 
CORTLAND COUNTY. 
The only notices to be introduced here are those of iron ore, which 
occurs in small quantities ; one or two sulphur springs ; a weak brine 
spring, and some beds of marl. Mr. Vanuxem states that the marl 
near the Four Corners is put into the form of bricks, dried and burned 
into lime.t 
* N. Y. Geological Reports, 1838, p. 171. t N. Y. Geological Reports, 1837, p. 192. 
