The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-12

,e to form the Himmnlaya Mountains, the nde
Rock Mountains, Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathia
Oral, and all the highest mount1ins in Il
world. 1t is also found in lodges and loo,
rocks, or boulders, widely scattered over di
ierent countries. 1t is easily split into leay,
Of almost any imaginable thinness, exceed
" dinghy elastic, and semi-transparent, and
thus fitted for the doors Of stoves and othe
: purposes, as a substitute for glass. In som
: parts OF Russia it is much used for the window
. OF houses, where it is known by the name {
Muscovy glass. 1t is frequently called sin
glass.
/, Nos. 6 and 7.--Granite is composed G
quartz, felspar and mca-the latter throw
about in every possible drection-rendern
the rock unstartifed, not slaty. It differ
widely in the degree Of fineness of the thre
ingredients composing it, the mica sometime
being in plates two feet or more in diameter
at other times in fine spangles, like scales
thickly scattered through the rock. The
quartz or felspar also vary greatly in the siz,
OF the masses composing granite.
Fine granite is best fitted for purposes oil
architecture, for which it is extensively used
in many countries. In the United States
are many quarries, furnishing building mate
| rials for our seaports, and many inland towns
and villages.
No. S.-Gneiss is stately granite, rendered
so by the uniform direction of the mica. It
hence splits in slabs of large and smooth sur
face, fitting it for sidewalks, floors, bridges,
and many other purposes of economy and
convenience n 10 tho nrnuoilipp
New York island, as it is in many parts of
NV England, and many other parts of the
world. The color of gneiss depends, Of course,
upon that of the materials composing it.,
especially the mica, which is sometimes black,
giving black or dark color to the gneiss. Ii
is more commonly of lightish gray, and
sometimes silvery.
No. 9.-Mica Slate resembles gneiss, but
is composed of quartz and mica. Felspar,
composing part of gfanite and gneiss, is
wanting in this rock. 1t frequently has an
undulating surface, but is smooth. 1t splits
readily, and is used for purposes similar to
those of gneiss. Garnets are more abundant
in this than any other rock; and this rock
contains more Of those than any other crystals.
No. lO.-IIornblend is black, green, or
other dark coors. 1t is more tough than
hard, and is an element of rocks much used
in architecture, also forming some of the
most beautiful scenery in the world.
No. ll.-Senite is commonly called granite,
but differs from it in taking hornblend in
place of mica. The Bunker Hill Monument
(hIassachusetts), Merchants Exchange, Astor
House, Rutgers Institute, and numerous 9TH
er buildings, in New York and other cities,
are built os sienite, commonly called Quincy
granite. Cleopatras Needle, Egypt, is sienite.
No l2.--Basait.-T Giants Causeway
is composed of basaltic pillars, many of which
are six sided prisms from six inches to a foot
or two in diameter, in blocks about the same
length, with one end rounded and the other
followed, so as exactly to match, and are
piled upon each other to the height of 200 feet
or more. Rocks nearly resembling these, g.
piled upon each other in similar manner,
form the Palisades on the Hudson, the two
bluffs at New Haven, Mount Holyoke, and
many other mountain masses in this and 9TH
er countries. The same kind of rock is scat
tered over many countries, in the form of
boulders, and is frequently known by the
name of ironstone. 1t is composed principal
ly of hornblend or augte, which it resembles.
and felspar, with large portion of iron.
Basalt, greensboro, and other rocks of the
same family, are much used for building.
Nos. l3 and l4.-Lime formations are ex-
tensive, various, useful, and sometimes beauti-
full. They embrace common limestone, nearly
all marbles, chalk, and many beautiful crystals
II .... -.
which gives them the name of granular lime
The more recent is frequently finer or more
compact, when il is called compact lime. 1t
is frequently found in rhombic crystals, when
it is called rhomb spar. When these crystals
are transparent,they are called iceland spar 81
produce double refraction--gving one line or
letter seen through it the appearance Of two.
All these formations are the carbonate of
lime, composed of lime and carbonic acid
When burnt, the acid is thrown from the
lime, when it is reduced to quicklme, and
fitted for various uses in building; also for
manuring land, for which il is extensively
used. White limestone and milk quartz are
sometimes confounded, but they may be easily
distinguished by the knife, as the former can
be cut and the latter not; and more certainly
by an acid, as the former eiiervesces, and the
latter not.
No. l5.--Gypsum is the sulphate of lime,
and is, of course, composed of sulphuric acid
(oil of vitrioD and lime. I'm Italy and other
countries it appears in the form of alabaster,
which receives fine polish, and is translucent |
When crystalized in transparent plates, it is |
called selenite Inconsistency 1t sometimes
appears in fine silky fibres, when it is called
fibrous gypsum. Radated gypsum is another
variety of this mineral.
Gypsum is powerful manure, and is much
used for ornamental work in plastering rooms;
also for busts and casts of various kinds.
No. 26.--serpentne rocks from extensive
barren ridges, but contain chrome ore,
asbestus, and other useful and
curious deposits. 1t takes its name from it,
variety of colors like the serpent, though it,
color is green. The prevailing
.ock at Hoboken and Staten Island is ser.
1