CHAMPLAIN DIVISION. 371 
Wherever this rock is seen in this county, it is more or less stratified with greywacke and 
greywaeke slate. 
Fine opportunities for observing these alternations are afforded in the town of Montgo¬ 
mery, in the village of Walden, in the bed and banks of the WalkiH, and the banks of the 
aqueduct which supplies water to the factories ; also in the quarries on the west bank of the 
stream, opposite the factories ; also in the bed and banks of the WalkiH, a little below the 
village of Montgomery; also in Mount-Hope, at and near the village ; at Unionville in Mini¬ 
sink, near the New-Jersey line ; in the banks of the Hudson at Newburgh, and on the road 
from Newburgh to Hampton, about a mile from the former place. 
“ On the whole, the alternations of the greywacke are less frequent and less extensive on 
the east and southeast side of the WalkiH, than on the west and southwest. As we approach 
the foot and ascend the southeastern face of the Shawangunk mountain, the greywacke covers 
more surface than the argillite. 
“ This rock forms a kind of cuneiform termination in Warwick, about half a mile from the 
New-Jersey line ; the limestone meeting round this termination from both sides. From this 
point, proceeding northeast, the argillite widens into an elevated ridge of rich land, called 
Long ridge, which extends across this town into Goshen. It forms the surface rock over 
three-quarters of Goshen, nearly all Blooming-grove west of the mountains, parts of Corn¬ 
wall and New-Windsor, a large part of Newburgh, all Montgomery, all Hamptonburgh 
except two or three farms, most of the towns of Crawford and WalkiH, part of the town of 
Mount-Hope, and most of Minisink. It rises almost to the top of the Shawangunk moun¬ 
tain, the whole breadth of the county at that part. 
“ The argillite, and its associated greywacke and greywacke slate, no where rise into 
lofty mountains in Orange county. When this circumstance is recollected, and taken in con¬ 
nection with what has been stated of the extent of this rock forming the great valley of the 
WalkiH, it will be perceived at once how greatly it modifies the surface of the country. 
There is another remark should be made in this place, in relation to the rock of which we 
have been speaking. The argillite portion of the county of Orange embraces an unusual 
number and extent of swamps, or, as they are called, hog meadows. They are all formed 
by bars of argillite rock across their outlets ; this is true from the great drowned lands down 
to those which cover only an acre or two of surface. The useful purposes to which this rock 
is applied, are not numerous. The most important one at present, is in the construction of 
fire-places and the lining of furnaces. When placed with the edges of the laminae to the 
fire, it remains for a long time uninjured. Some varieties in this county, which are not sili¬ 
ceous, are excelled by no stone, for this purpose. The quarries of Mr. Bulmer, at Sugar- 
loaf, furnish excellent stone in abundance ; they are sold at from two dollars to five dollars 
per load, at the quarry. It is also quarried to some extent on tfie western shore of Big Long 
pond, as a fire-stone. Roof slate might be obtained abundantly, very similar to the Welch 
slate, but none is wrought for this purpose. 
47^ 
