TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION AND HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PLAINFIELD, IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAY, 1834. BY JACOB PORTER. "Land of brown heath and shaggy wood, GREENFIELD: PRINTED BY THOMAS PRINCE. 1834. 6 HISTORY OF PLAINFIELD. SITUATION AND EXTENT. PPAINFIELD is a post township in the north-west corner of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, 20 miles north-west of Northampton, and 112 west of Boston. It is about 5 miles long from east to west, and about 4 wide from north to south. BOUNDARIES. It is bounded on the north by Hawley, east by Ashfield, both in Franklin county, south by Cummington, west by Windsor and Savoy, both in Berkshire county. According to a survey taken by Eliphalet Darling, in 1831, by order of the General Court, the particular boundaries are as follows:-Beginning at the north-west corner, by a line running east, 19 degrees south, 1,594 rods-4 miles, 314 rods, which is the boundary between Hawley and Plainfield; thence south, 7 degrees west, 217 rods, thence south, 30 minutes east, 122 rods, thence east, 19 degrees, 20 minutes south, 85 rods, thence south, 19 degrees, 20 minutes west, 401 rods,=1 mile, 81 rods, thence south, 30 minutes east, 517 rods, 1 mile, 197 rods, the boundaries between Ashfield and Plainfield; thence west, 17 degrees south, 195 rods, thence west, 20 degrees north, 1,604 rods, 5 miles, 4 rods, the boundaries between Cummington and Plainfield; thence north, 18 degrees east, 927 rods, 2 miles, 287 rods, thence west 18 degrees north, 168 rods, the boundaries between Windsor and Plainfield; thence north, 18 degrees east, to the corner first mentioned, 320 rods,=1 mile, the boundary between Savoy and Plainfield. In conformity to a law of the commonwealth, passed March = 8, 1827, a stone monument, marked with the proper initials, has been erected at every corner. GEOLOGY. Two distinct and well characterized strata of rocks traverse this town in a north and south direction. Mica slate extends from Ashfield about two thirds of the distance to Savoy; talcose slate then commences and occupies the remainder of the township. These rocks are beautifully stratified; but the strata, instead of lying in their natural position, are turned up, so that their inclination is perpendicular. Large blocks of granite, more particularly in the western part of the town, are seen in many places, resting on these strata, often near the summits of the hills. To the geologist these are interesting, as they lead back his mind at once to that mighty rush of waters, probably the general deluge, when they were driven to their present station, and enable him to account for the diluvial scratches observed on the ledges in this and the neighboring towns. "Talcose slate," says professor Hitchcock in his excellent Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, "is, in general, a mere variety of mica slate, talc taking the place of mica, or being super-. added to it. Where the talcose slate, however, is most pure, so as in fact to be little else but slaty talc, with more or less quartz, the soil, which its decomposition produces, is decidedly inferior to that resulting from mica slate; and probably this is owing to the large quantity of magnesia, which talc contains. "Mica slate produces a soil of a medium quality. Some varie-. ties of it underlie tracts of superior quality. But the most extensive tract of mica slate in Massachusetts consists of the high and mountainous region west of Connecticut river; so that it is difficult to compare the soil lying over it with that of formations at a lower level. The deep ravines, so common in the mica slate, furnish many fertile, though limited patches of ground; while the mountain sides are very superior for grazing." In the east part of Plainfield, as the same writer elsewhere observes, "the geest is so abundant as to occupy most of the surface, the subjacent rock scarcely appearing." The principal use of these rocks, besides that of fences, for |