SULPHUR SPRINGS. 
149 
Carbonate of lime, ..._ 
Sulphate of lime,. 
Sulphate of magnesia,_ 
Sulphate of soda,... 
Chloride of sodium,. 
. 
_ 10.50 “ 
_ 1.25 “ 
.... 2.00 “ 
_ 2.30 “ 
Sulphuretted hydrogen, .. 
Carbonic acid,. 
17.05 grains. 
_ 5.60 
Gaseous contents,. 
The third or Lower Avon Spring is similar in its composition to the preceding. It is re¬ 
markable for the large volume of water which it discharges. This has been estimated to be 
equal to fifty-four gallons in a minute, and I apprehend that this is not far from being correct. 
The waters of all the Avon springs give out powerfully the odour of sulphuretted hydrogen, 
and have a strong saline taste. They speedily blacken silver and the salts of lead. The 
solution of arsenious acid is but slightly altered by it, until after the addition of an acid ; from 
which I infer that a portion of the sulphuretted hydrogen is in a state of combination with 
some basis. 
The "situation of the village of Avon in one of the most beautiful and fertile portions of 
Western New-York, and the valuable medicinal qualities of its springs, conspire to render 
this one of the most attractive watering places in this State. 
Genesee County. In this county, we have, near North-Byron, a sulphureous spring, 
the gas of which is so copiously given out as to be inflamed; and in the southeast part of the 
same town, are springs of a similar kind. 
A very remarkable locality in this vicinity deserves to be particularly noticed here, as the 
occurrence is undoubtedly to be referred to the same general agencies which are concerned in 
the production of sulphuretted hydrogen. I refer to the Sour Spring, so called, which exists 
in the southwest corner of the town of Byron. The acid is produced from a hillock about 
two hundred and thirty feet long and one hundred feet broad, elevated four or five feet above 
the surrounding plane. According to Prof. Eaton, the strength of the acid increases in a 
drought. He states, that when he examined the locality, considerable rain had recently fallen, 
and the acid in most places was very dilute, but in some it appeared to be perfectly concen¬ 
trated, and nearly dry in its combination with the charred vegetable coat. In this state it was 
diffused throughout the whole hillock, which was every where covered with charred vegetable 
matter to the depth of five to thirty or forty inches, occasioned by the action of the sulphuric 
acid. Wherever holes were sunk in this hill, the acid accumulated, and also in the depressions 
of the contiguous meadow grounds. 
There is another locality of a similar kind a hundred rods west of Byron Hotel, and two 
miles east of the former, which is remarkable in consequence of the great quantity of acid. 
