Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-07-27

4 ne character of the rocks assume much
variety west OF this, until the truly chry sta
line structure is lost and slate in numerous
forms ana equivocai features appears The
precise point the decidedly pi imary rocks
terminate, The professor leaves 10 future re.
search.
OF the soils Of this region, Professor Ro-
gers says: the primary region, except
"he'e The rocks accompanying the coal exist
a,e remaf kea Tor The quantity of clay, often
Oh very ierrug'nous character, which, they
contain. The feldspar, which, as already
remarked, enters largely into the composi-
non OF our gness aud granite, j. in some of
as forms peculiarly liable Ia undergo de.
composition by exposure To The atmnsnhcrc
ne aikali contained i'm II is gradually dis
solved out, and the clay aud silica. lis other
constituents, iail 10 powder, aud thus furnish
inc materials Tor soil at The same time. the
quartz and mica, no longer cemcne, by the
'".errosed ieIdspar. also separate and minpie
WIN The general mass OF clay or sand The
Hornbiende, possessing much oxide of iron
and some lime, produces, " hen ,,sromposed
deep red earth, which, in virtue III lis compo
sition, Is generally found productive.
In accounting for the highly fcrruginous
S"is presented IN many places in this district,
asat BedTerdam Ia Gouchland, il iniybt nt
hrst view appear most plausible Ia regard
mem as The product OF disintegrated Horn
blended. derived from the subjacent strata
anu certainly IN some localities the color and
qualities OF The soil may be justly referred 10
'"is origin But there are numerous instan-
ces 10 which the superficial earth or CLAW is
very deeply tnged, while no rock ef,bis de-
scriptioa exists in the neig hborhood. Even
everything the sandstone ofihe Goa, measures
where The occurrence of this mineral Womb
oe next To impossible, suil of a deep ierrugi.
nous aspect frequently presentsitself Mere
over, ia general This red soil forms merely
superficial stratum, oiten only a few incias
ia thickness, while the earth beneath. the nb
N'oos product oil the decomposing gneiss or
granite, has white or grey color, and scarce
any mixture OF The tint which prevails on
the surface. In all these cases W mus, look
lar the source of the red soil in the extensive
region 10 the west, where nearly all the rocks
give rise to 10y decomposition, and we mus:
regard II AS having been transported 10 the
spot on which IT now rests, 10y some OF those
sweeping diluvinl currents hose action is
Otherwise at,esied ny evidences OF u conclu-
sive character.
The soils containing isinglass or mica, as
we'll as those abounding in the CLAWS derived
from The decomposition OF ieldspar, though in
their natural state rather deficient in produce
tlveness, have generally been found 10 re-
CeiNe Srea' henent from The applications of
lime aud caIcareous manures; and the dis.
trict IN question may reap great ADVANTAGES
from an extensive application OF either. lis
vicinity 10 The Eocene shells and green sand
siatls, as already indicated, is likely al Some
moi remote doy, toprove cminen,ly beneficial
To lis agriculture, aud il were To be wished
That The farmers who are Interested lin its
improvement, would promptly take advan-
iage of such facilities OF transportation az are
likely soon TO offer, for the purpose oi avail
ing themselves oilhe resources which nature
has placed so completely within their reach.
6 In the neig hborhood Of rocks where The
feldspar is comparatively abundant, the dis
migrating process gives rise 10 clay of a
pure white color, and almost impaIpable tex
ture. This is the Kuoi,n of the Chinese. one
OF the essential ingredients in The COMPOST.
ton OF Porcelain. Numerous rich deposi,es
Of are 10 be found in this portion of the
State. In Gooch!and, an extensive bed of
this earth has lately been discovered on the
estate Of MIR. Tripiett It's color is dull
white. Between the fingers il has the /
smoothness o. The finest flour, and with The
exception Of a few scattered grains of slick. !
the whole mass is perfectly impalpable
powder.
Bya careful analysis of some ofihis earth.
! find its composition To- be as tvllows:
In 20 grains, Silica, 1915