6 Phosphate Rocks of South Carolina, 
5 
WHEN AND HOW THE ROCK WAS. FIRST 
FOUND. 
Sometime in November, 1837, in an old rice field 
about a mile from the west bank of the Ashley in St. 
Andrew’s Parish, we found a number of rolled or 
water-worn nodules, of a rocky material filled with 
the impressions or casts of marine shells. These 
nodules or “rocks” were scattered over the surface 
of the land, and in some places had been gathered 
into heaps, so that they could not materially interfere 
with the cultivation of the field. 
At that time we were students of Geology and 
Paleontology, and the interesting and beautifully pre- 
served forms of shells, teeth and bones mingled with 
the rocks filled with the casts of shells, corals and 
corallines, attracted our attention, and in a very short 
time enriched our cabinet with thousands of remark- 
able specimens. These, during a term of six years, 
we studied carefully and labelled as best we could. 
The appointment of Mr. Ruffin, in 1842, to make a 
survey (geological and agricultural) of the State, 
as ordered by the Legislature was generally under- 
stood to be mainly for the purpose of introducing the 
use of Marl and Lime as fertilizers; Marl having 
been successfully and extensively used by the farmers 
of Virginia, and the results obtained having been 
found to surpass their most favorable anticipations. 
Mr. Ruffin immediately called the attention of the 
planters to the importance of searching diligently 
everywhere for Marl-beds and other sources from 
whence calcareous carths or lime could be obtained. 
