Page:The plains of Long Island.djvu/9

 The geological features of the Hempstead plains disclose a remarkable analogy to those of every part of the Island that I was able to explore. Mr. Harold thus describes the soil: "The level portions of the plain has generally a good soil, the top being from six to eighteen inches of vegetable mould, with a subsoil of loam varying from one to four feet in depth, underlaid in most places by a coarse gravel." The superficial soil is combined with a black humus, which must impart to it great fertility. The theory of some intelligent persons is, that this humus may be the deposit from the subsidence of a lake which they suppose covered these plains. I conjecture, however, that it is formed by the decomposition which the massive turf must be constantly undergoing. That streams of water have flowed along these plains is very apparent, but whether they were rivulets of fresh water such as now exist, or inlets of the sea, which at a remote period existed, cannot now be decided. The "dry rivers," as they are called, are peculiar features which prevail extensively on the Island, and are particularly distinct on the open plains. In Hempstead they are commonly used for the track of roads. They exhibit the meandering course and high banks common to all streams, and have hard bottoms and a thin soil. Common marine shells abound in these "dry rivers." Another striking peculiarity of these plains is the circumstance of streams gushing out on the surface in a full volume from their fountains. These streams are of considerable size, and afford water sufficiently soft for domestic purposes. Nearly all the mill-streams of the district are formed by these rivulets. Although the plains are not affected generally by dampness, the earth in the vicinity of these head springs is so saturated, without however exhibiting any appearance of a springy or swampy character, that water rapidly collects and remains in excavations dug on the surface. The territory known as the Hempstead plains formerly included a much more extended area than it now embraces. It was owned in common by the original town of Hempstead, and spread nearly from the base of the ridge to the village of Hempstead, and from Brushville, now Queens, to the Bush plains on the east. This town was divided in 1784 by a line running near the track of the Long Island railroad, into North Hempstead and what is now Hempstead. The policy of the two towns in regard to their common lands has been widely different. While Hempstead, by its popular vote, has persistently refused to sell that part of the common which lies within its boundaries; North Hempstead at an early day disposed of the portion which belonged to that town. Although such sales were made at very inadequate prices, the benefit to the town has been incalculable, by the increase of its cultivated area and the addition to its positive wealth and resources. It is not my province nor purpose to animadvert upon the course of the town of Hempstead, in respect to this policy, but I may remark, that an impressive practical commentary is presented on the subject in the aspect of fine and productive farms on the North Hempstead side of the plain, contrasted with the wild and uncultivated waste, only occupied by scattered herds of cattle, on the Hempstead common. The sale of this vast domain, at a just valuation, might create