Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-07-11
From the Maine Farmer.


aOIstUaSAs
1t is not a little remarkable, that what
with Us are denominatcd horsebdeks, and
which are found in considerable numbers
in our State, seem TO bc a peculiar char
actcristic Of our own soil, as they scarcely
occur out Of the State, and nothing at all
similar To them arc described out Of New
England. unless il h. the cscars OF North
crn Europe. The general features OF these
AorsJqcEs, are narrow ridge Of coarse
sand and gravel. attaininga height Of from
thirty 10 forty fct. situated in level
country. with sometimes an undulating
summit, the extreme ends being generally
orthc same elevation above the ocean.
In the forthcoming Report on the Gcol-
ocy Of the State, Prof Hitchcock gives
descriptions and localities of seventeen
horscbacks that he has found TO exist in
Maine. adding: I'VE know Of only three
localities Of them ou, Of the State"
There i one of these horscbaeks in the
northern part of Somerset County, which
We have not seen described. and therefore
aii, another Que TO the lis,. /, Is situai-
al partly in No. = Range III, west Of the
Kcnuebcc. and partly in Jerusalem town
ship in Franklin County. It, general
course l. y. W. and :. H., although it Is
interrupted by many short ric.rag turns.
|, j. nearly Eve miles in length, and from
twenty 10 sixty feet in height. Occasion
ally there are sharp pitches or deprcssions
through IT, course. and here there seem TO
h. prciominancc Of bouldcrs ranging IN
SIC from hens cgg 10 a two quart meas
urc, while on ascending the horseback
from these gullics, coarse sand or gravel
sc,ms TO be the formation. On either side
Of this horseback, for the whole distance,
Is a pcaty swamp, in places covered with
a black growth, and at other place
where the growth has been burn,-show.
ing a stream with mucky bottom, form
ing a, one place a pond of considerable
size. 4, several places ON the bog, there
are considerable quantities ofcranbcrrics,
but they are small in size and inferior IN
quality. The people ia this vicinity IT,
gard this horseback a. formed on purpose
ior a road and il would seem that such
were the designs OF Providence, for IL Is
the only place for the entire Eve miles that
it would be possible to build a road for
public travel.
Specializing upon the origin Of these
horscbacks, Prot. Hitchcock says: Re
port OF Scientific Survey, p. 2Ii)
Nothing similar 10 thc~c ridges have
bccn described out Of New England, un-
less il he the oscars Of Northern Europe.
These consist Of pebbles Of carbOniierous
limestone heaped into narrow ridges forty
to eighty feet high and from one TO twenty
miles long. probably formed in the cCidics
alon. the margins of opposing and con-
ficting currents, which piled up the ma
tcrials from each side. We have no, felt
satisfied that this explanation will account
Cor the origin Of the horscbacks. IL is
difficult for u 20 scc how single ridge
can be formed from these currents. Two
currents flowing side by side would pro-
duce three ridscs instead of one. As,rong
current confined 10 a narrow space might
deposit such a ridge but whsre are the
barriers which placed the current in these
circumstances? Can We conceive Of ice
barriers City miles long, Surely any
other species Of obstruction would have
remained. and We should have had gray.
els bank lying agains, a long hill. Then
a current would naturally deposit the
heaviest stone, frst, which i not the case
with the horsch.cks. When \ thorough
exploration shall be made of these ridges,
then We may h. able 10 theoriIe upon them.
We want 10 know the following things /:
/. their number and general distribution
through the State; ., the exac, course OF
each ridge, with all IT, zig.zagS and curves;
3, their height az every variation Of al,i-
tudc. particularly their height AT the up
Per cnl a. compared with the lower end,
ifthere i, any difference We want 10 know
whether they are higher in the middle
than al either cud I, the materials Of
which they are composed, their arrange
mcnt, aud II possible their general source.
IL will be se,n thus that great deal OF
exploration i needed 20 settle wha, ap-
pears 10 be n purely theoretical question.
Yet the settling OF this theoretical ques-
tion may apply directly to the benefit Of
agriculture Nv showing u in some manner
from whence the materials composing our
soils were obtained"