1897.J ASHLEY — GEOLOGY OF AKKAXSAS. 313 



has shown that in the Cretaceous region there are extensive deposits 

 of gypsum, marls and chalks containing the elements needed by 

 these sandy soils. ^ 



The present methods of farming require that new clearings be 

 frequently made and new fences built. The same amount of labor, 

 expended in fertilizing, would increase crops, and increase the value 

 of land. 



Timber. 



Timber is at present the greatest latent source of wealth, and in 

 consequence of the roughness of much of the region it will always 

 play a considerable part in the sources of income. In the southern 

 half of the region, where the Pleistocene gravel occurs, the timber 

 is mostly pine; in some districts it is exclusively so, except in the 

 creek bottoms. In the rest of the region both pine and hard wood 

 are found, the latter being the more abundant and consisting 

 largely of oaks. 



This mountain timber is said not to be as even-grained as 

 that growing in the bottoms, but has less sap and greater durability. 



Of the oaks, the white oak is most abundant ; red oak, post 

 oak and others occur less frequently. The short-leafed pine is 

 probably more abundant than any other single species of tree, 

 especially over the gravel-covered area of the southeast, where mag- 

 nificent forests of it are common. Sweet and black gum are plenti- 

 ful in the southern and eastern part, and in the same part of the area is 

 much holly. Cedar has been plentiful along the Cossatot and Rolling 

 Fork ; ash, hickory and many other valuable woods are well scat- 

 tered over the region. As before stated, the whole area is one vast 

 forest except for the few clearings made for cultivation. 



At present, from lack of transportation facilities,^ these forests 

 have only a nominal value. But the timber near the railroad is 

 being cut so rapidly that already the lumbermen are beginning to 

 reach into this area. For this reason timber here has a prospective 

 value sufficient to make it worthy of careful saving. At present it 

 is treated in a most wasteful manner. 



Relation of Geology to Culture. — The relation existing between 

 the portions of a region under cultivation to the geology of the 

 region is seldom more interestingly shown than in this area. The 



1 Geol. Surv. of Ark., Rep. for i88S, Vol. ii, Chaps, xxii-xxvii. 



2 This report was written before the construction of the Kansas City, Pittsburg 

 and Gulf Railway through the western part of Arkansas. — J. C. Branner. 



