Geology — Taconic Range of Mountains. 401 
GEOLOGY— TACONIC RANGE OF MOUNTAINS. 
The view accompanying this, illustrates the appearance of the 
Taconic range generally. It was taken from the south part of 
Stonehill in Williamstown, (Mass.) looking south. The hills are 
composed of slate gravel, and the rocks are usually deeply covered 
with soil. Most ot the hills and ridges of this range abound in 
chesnut, intermixed with black and white oak; the highest portions 
of the ridges are clothed with w^hite birch as a second growth, 
sugar maple, (acer sacarinum,) frequently forms by itself large 
groves. Beech also abounds; and ash, bass, walnut, and soft 
maple are intermixed, and assist in making up the forest. The 
northern slopes of these ranges are beautiful in autumn, when 
they appear decked in all the gay colors that adorn the windows 
of a print shop; or arrayed rather in the brilliant robes of a 
bridal ceremony, than in the sombre habiliments proper to an- 
nounce the speedy approach of winter, as the grave of the year. 
The magnesian slate is one of the most permanent and extensive 
members of the Taconic system. It crosses the Hudson about 
thirty miles above the city of New York, and passes south through 
New Jersey into Pennsylvania, beneath the new red sandstone, under 
which rock it disappears near Stony Point, upon the Hudson 
river. It ranges north as far as my knowledge extends, having 
seen specimens of it from townships in Canada East. 
The breadth of country over which it prevails, is not much less 
than fifteen miles, leaving out of consideration the Stockbridge 
limestone, and brown sandstone or granular quartz. Its absolute 
thickness cannot be determined with any certainty; it is un- 
doubtedly great, and ranks in this respect with the primary schists. 
No trace of organic bodies has hitherto been found in this rock. 
The slate disintegrates slowly; it forms a flat gravel, but more 
tenacious of water by far, than siliceous gravel. By itself, or un- 
mixed, it makes poor soil; but when compounded with the cal- 
careous matter of the sparry and Stockbridge limestones, it forms 
an excellent and suitable soil for (Indian corn,) maize. 
The scenery, through a great extent of country north and south, 
is very uniform, but is occasionly bold in the highest parts of the 
chain. The most interesting, and generally admired view, is that 
of Hopper and Gray Lock, about five miles south-west of Williams 
College. In some parts of this elevated region, rocks are bare 
for hundreds of feet in elevation, with a steep slope, and may 
without much difficulty, be examined from the base to the top; 
still the summits are thickly clothed with soil, and good pasturage 
is obtained upon the highest parts of the ridges. — l)r. Emmons in 
A^at. Hist. J\'ew York. 
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