CLINTON COUNTY. 
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that I could observe, any points to protect these soft materials from washing, they all appear 
to have been carried south, where we find in and about many places, as Keeseville for instance, 
great depths or beds of sand. Upon the highest land near the lake, I found shells more or 
less comminuted — some, however, nearly entire ; but from appearances, they and the sand, 
in which they are found, appear to be drift. The place referred to, is between Champlain 
village and the lake towards Rouse’s point, and is about three hundred feet above the present 
level of the lake. I found, besides, many other places where shells appear to have lodged. 
In all these places, the accompanying phenomena are different from what they are at Port 
Kent and other places on the lake. The shells are mixed with small rounded masses of bluish 
limestone, and are quite broken. These facts, together with other circumstances, have led 
me to believe that they have been transported from their original beds to the places where we 
now find them. 
Peat. 
An important bed of peat exists in Champlain. It is one or two miles long, and about half 
a mile wide, and its average depth is not far from twelve to fifteen feet. Probably many others 
of less extent exist in the county, particularly on the western border. This, however, is very 
favorably situated for improvement; and should the agriculturalists be disposed to employ 
this material in farming, its value will become obvious at once. One of the richest and most 
stimulating substances may be formed of a mixture of dry fine peat, lime and animal excre¬ 
tions. This compound, if properly formed, may be used after the manner of plaster, and in 
a quantity not much greater ; and while its fertilizing powers are far greater than plaster, it 
has not its disadvantage, that of exhausting the soil. 
Drift, Superficial Covering, &c. 
The superficial coverings of Clinton county are deep and important. Gravel, sand, and 
rounded masses of quartz four or five inches in diameter, are spread profusely over most of 
the county. For example, from Plattsburgh to Redford, a distance of twenty miles, sand, 
gravel and these rounded stones prevail the whole distance. The latter make their appearance 
about ten miles west of Plattsburgh, entirely filling the soil. But a more interesting distri¬ 
bution of gravel and rounded stone is found in the long ridges which traverse this county from 
north to south. These ridges mark the former bounds of the lake, or some other body of 
water ; being evidently formed by the washing up of the gravel by waves. They are in some 
places thirty feet high, sloping on the east and west sides at a moderate angle. There are 
probably three or four of these ridges, for I discovered as many at different heights above the 
lake ; but as I did not trace them far longitudinally, I am not able to speak with confidence 
of their number. That ridges are formed as has been stated, there is no doubt; and this fact 
proves conclusively the action of water upon these loose materials at no very remote period. 
And should the conjecture prove true, that more than one ridge has been formed, it will 
establish the position that there has been a gradual rise of the country adjacent to the lake, 
