108 Journal of the Mitchell Society [J^me 



typical. If it were possible to exclude the more fertile areas the figures 

 Avould show greater contrast than they do. 



The upper pine belt embraces considerable diversity, from high red 

 hills to flat sandy pine woods and swamps, but there are all sorts of 

 intermediate conditions, and it would be difficult to subdivide this 

 region in any way that would give us significant statistics as long as 

 the counties are as large as they are. The region covers about 14 

 counties and 11,000 square miles. 



The lower pine belt differs from the preceding chiefly in having 

 almost no red hills, more ponds, more sandy soil, and more long-leaf 

 pine. It is approximately coextensive with Dorchester, Colleton and 

 Hampton counties, and covers about 2,700 square miles. 



The Cape Fear pine-barren region centers around Wilmington, 

 N. C, and in South Carolina includes most of Horry County, about 

 half of Georgetown (but not half its population), and perhaps part 

 of Marion, or about 1,500 square miles. It is characterized by copious 

 summer rain (nearly half the annual preciptation comes in the four 

 warmest months), and the soils are sandy and pretty well leached of 

 fertility. The statistics used to illustrate it are based on Horry 

 County alone. 



The coast strip includes the islands, marshes, and marly flats along 

 the coast, mostly south of the Santee River. The soils are of various 

 degrees of fertility, but mostly pretty well supplied wdth phosphorus, 

 the raw rock or ore of which has been mined in several places for fertil- 

 izing purposes. Some of the richest soil is too swampy for profitable 

 cultivation, however, especially since the competition of Louisiana 

 practically put an end to the rice industry that once flourished herci 

 The area is about 1,600 square miles of land, and the counties of 

 Charleston and Beaufort are taken as typical. 



The first table gives statistics of density, race, nativity and il- 

 literacy of the population in each of seven regions, together with cor- 

 responding figures for the state as a whole at the last four censuses, 

 this addition being for the purpose of illustrating certain general prin- 

 ciples better and facilitating comparisons with other states that have 

 been or will be studied in the same way. There is also a column for 

 urban percentage, urban population being defined at the last two cen- 

 suses as that living in cities and towns with over 2,500 inhabitants. 

 (Previously a higher minimum was used, so that in order to get com- 

 parable figures one has to pick out the places having more than the 



