26 (j 
ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
mainly of chloride of sodium and the bicarbonates of magnesia, soda and lime. These 
waters differ from the preceding, also, in containing iodine and bromine. We regard it 
as a remarkable fact that the celebrated Saratoga waters belong chiefly to the Calciferous 
sandstone, though at Ballston the same kind of water issues from the Hudson-river slate. 
The lower part of the Champlain division furnishes a few sulphur (or, as they are 
sometimes called, Harrowgate) springs, of some interest. The most important known to 
me, and which I have examined, are in the town of Massena, St. Lawrence county. At 
this place, there are three within a few rods of each other. They issue from the Calcife¬ 
rous sandstone, immediately upon the north bank of the Racket river, about three miles 
from the St. Lawrence, and just above the Long Sault. The temperature of one was 
found to be 46° ; another, 48° ; and the third 52°, the thermometer standing at 82° in the 
shade. These springs are within thirty feet of each other. All these springs possess 
nearly the same taste, and deposit a whitish incrustation upon the stones over which the 
waters flow. The quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen is considerable, as it may be per¬ 
ceived by its odor a mile from the locality. 
The waters whose temperature stands at 46° and 52°, are composed as follows : 
Chloride of sodium_ 
WARM 
_ 6- 
SPRING. 
988 
COLD SPRING. 
6-202 
Chloride of magnesium . 
_ 0- 
644 
O' 
■846 
Chloride of calcium _ . 
.. 1- 
026 
0 
■466 
Sulphate of lime_ 
.. 2* 
794 
1 
•960 
Carbonate of lime_ 
_ 1 
■630 
1 
■200 
Hydrosulphuret of soda, 
magnesium 
and vegetable matter . . 
.. 0- 
000 
1 
•870 
Solid matter in one pint.. 
_ . 13' 
•082 
12 
•544 
The water of the warm spring had lost its gas entirely, as it did not blacken silver ; the other 
retained a portion, and both contained vegetable matter, which seemed to be combined in 
some way with the sulphuretted hydrogen. Without doubt the gas is produced by the 
decomposition of the sulphates, by the vegetable matter of the water. In another place, 
I shall offer a few remarks on the origin of the mineral springs of the State. 
The sulphuretted hydrogen springs which belong geologically to the Taconic slates, as 
well as to the slates of the Hudson river, appear to be less charged with saline matter than 
is usual with such springs. I have examined a small spring of this character, issuing from 
the slates forming the crest of the ridge on the east bank of the Hudson, about four miles 
from Albany, and obtained the following results : 
