ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 8l 



material is ample; but in these last three counties mica 

 schist partially replaces the hornblende slate. In the west- 

 ern part of Swain, in Graham, Cherokee and the western 

 part of Clay county good road material is not so abundant 

 as in the other counties named, but nevertheless is to be 

 found in considerable quantities. The rocks over a con- 

 siderable portion of this last-named area are micaceous and 

 hydromicaceous in character, and are practically worthless 

 for the purposes of road-building, but the quartzite ledges 

 and beds of limestone in these counties will furnish ample 

 and suitable material. 



In conclusion, it may be said that in the middle and 

 western counties of North Carolina material suitable for 

 macadamizing the public highways is abundant and 

 generally accessible. It will be the exception, rather than 

 the rule, that this material will have to be transported for 

 any considerable distance. In the eastern counties materials 

 suitable for this purpose are inferior in quality and only 

 moderately abundant in quantity, but the extensive and 

 intelligent use of even these materials would very greatly 

 improve the public roads and thereby increase the pros- 

 perity of the* people. And in many places where the 

 Macadam road is at present out of the question on account 

 of the lack of stone, other materials, gravel, clay, loam 

 and plank will be found in sufficient abundance to make 

 the construction of better roads practicable at reasonable 

 cost. 



