And the “ Great Carolina Marl Bed.” 57 
Shortly after his arrival among us, we had the 
satisfaction of pointing out the exposures of Marl on 
the Ashley, and of submitting for his examination 
specimens of the nodular rocks scattered over the 
fields just alluded to. As these rocks contained little 
Carbonate of Lime, (the material, of all others, then 
most eagerly sought after,) the nodules were thrown 
aside and considered useless as a fertilizing substance. 
Mr. Ruffin also intimated, that as the ‘ GREAT 
CAROLINIAN Mart BED” was extensively exposed on 
the river banks near by, was easy of access and readily 
dug with ordinary implements, he thought it well 
worth transporting in carts and wagons, four or five 
miles ; especially as it was so much richer in Carbon- 
ate of Lime than the Marls of Virginia, which were 
often carted to a greater distance; the former having 
from 50 to 80 per cent., the latter only averaging 
about 40 per cent. 
At that time, Marl and everything resembling Marl, 
was carefully scrutinized and analyzed by Professors 
Shepard, J. Lawrence Smith and Wm. Hume, and 
some of the results published. 
