the mouth of Youghiogheny to that of Big Beaver; and the latter, and Mahoning, to about three miles above WarThis range of navigable water is from one hundred and eighty to two hundred miles, following the sinuosities of the streams.

ren.

The sources of the Mahoning interlock with those of the Tuscarawas branch of Muskingum, and Cuyahoga and Grand river of lake Erie."

Q. Are there any good harbors in this state?

A. Thirty-nine miles of the northwest border of this state lie upon lake Erie; this extent contains the harbor of Presque Isle, or Erie, which affords a good haven for small vessels.

Q. How is the soil in this state?

A. No state in the Union is richer in agriculture than this. Its soil is emphatically adapted to raise grain, for it contains a greater proportion of good land, than either of the Atlantic states. This arises from its peculiar geological arrangement, as the greater part of the state consists of transition and secondary formation, in which the soil is generally richer and more productive.

The land, bordering on the rivers, in the primitive formation, is of a superior quality, but generally the soil in this division is light.

The small portion of the primitive, in the southeast corner of the state, is exceeded by a vast extent of transition, seventy miles in width, terminating, as we have seen, near the summit of the Allegheny mountain. In this formation is found much land which is rich and productive. That portion which extends through Chester, Lancaster, and York, is eminently productive. Here limestone and marble of a superior quality, are found. Between the Blue Ridge and Kittatinny mountain is the Cumberland valley, sometimes called the Great Limestone valley. It is between fifteen and twenty miles in width, bending

with the mountains. The southern part is formed of transition limestone, the northern of clay slate; the line of demarcation being nearly in the centre. The whole extent, within the state, is about one hundred and sixty miles. The limestone section is rather level, having a most productive soil. Planted with towns and villages, highly cultivated, and thickly populated, the inhabitants, pursuing the business of agriculture, enjoy, in rich profusion, the bounties of Providence. In all limestone countries, great inconveniencies result from the unequal distribution of water. While some portions are well supplied, others are so destitute, that the inhabitants are not able to procure enough for domestic purposes. The slate region is more hilly, and the soil less prolific.

In the remainder of the transition, the soil is greatly didiversified. It is good or bad, according as limestone is more or less prevalent. Throughout the region of anthracite coal, the country is unproductive, and may be pronounced sterile.

The exceptions are, the alluvials, on the Delaware, Susquehanna, and their principal tributaries. Limited by the Susquehanna river on the east, and the Kittatinny mountain on the south, is a large tract of country, which seems to be founded on limestone. Wherever it mingles with the soil, it produces great fertility, but, like all limestone countries, is subjected to the inconvenience of a very partial supply of water.

The vegetable productions of the transition are greatly diversified. The forests abound with all the varieties of timber indigenous to the soil; and the scenery is diversified by every variety, from the ripling rill, and shady grove, to the spreading vale, the towering mountain, and descending cataract.

"The river navigation of the primitive and transition

formations, agreeable to their general character, is obstructed by many rapids and falls; and is liable to the freshets of mountain torrents, breaking through narrow and rocky passages, with all the extremes and inconveniences of too much or too little water.

"The secondary formation, extending from a line running on or near the Allegheny mountain, may be stated as generally fertile; for though the soil may be sandy on the hills, where the sand-stone prevails, it is uniformly rich in the valleys. In approaching the Allegheny from the eastward, it presents a bold and precipitous front; and from two to five miles will bring the traveller to the summit, whence the descent westward is scarcely perceptible. The Laurel Ridge is so steep, precipitous, and rugged, that it cannot be cultivated. Its scenery is wild, and aspect very forbidding. The Chesnut Ridge is, comparatively, low, its appearance less savage, and its soil less forbidding.

"The whole of Western Pennsylvania may be characterized as table land. The soil of the mountain valleys is well watered, and excellent. Leaving the mountains, the country consists of arable hills, or as it is commonly called, the rolling ground. Near the water courses, the hills are sometimes too steep for cultivation, although possessing a fine soil, and clothed with a luxuriant growth of timber.

"The general, nay, almost universal, fertility of Western Pennsylvania, must, of course, be ascribed to the constituents of the soil, which is a loam, having, in various proportions, limestone, slate, coal, gypsum, salt, and vegetable and animal remains. Coal is often used as ma

nure."

Q. What is the Geological formation of this state?

A. Geologists divide Pennsylvania into three great sections, primitive, transition, and secondary. Though these divisions are strongly marked by the rocks which charac tesize them, they are, nevertheless, mixed with strata belonging to other formations, as may be perceived from the Pennsylvania Gazetteer.

"But none of these divisions, (primitive, transition, and secondary,) though composed, chiefly, of the rocks. which characterize them, are unmixed with strata which Pertain to some one of the other divisions. The secondary perhaps is the most uniform.

The southeastern portion of the state is classed with the primitive formation; to which classification the small portion of alluvial, overlaying the primitive rock, should not be deemed an exception.

The rocks of this formation, are Granite, Gneis, Mica Slate, Clay Slate, Primitive Limestone, Primitive Trap, Serpentine, Porphyry, Sienite, Topaz Rock, Quartz Rock, Primitive Flinty Slate, Primitive Gypsum, White Stone. The strata of these rocks run from a north and south, to a northeast and southwest direction, and dip generally to the southeast at an angle of more than forty-five degrees from the horizon; the highest elevation is towards the northwestern limits, which gradually descends to the southeast, where it is covered by the alluvials; and the greatest mass, as well as the highest mountains, are found towards the northern and southern extremities of the northwestern boundaries. The outline of the mountain of this formation, generally consists of circular, waving, detached masses, with rounded flat tops; or conically waving in small pyramidal tops.

Within the limits prescribed to the primitive, there are portions of transition and secondary formations. A