OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI. 81 



varying distances, up to several miles, from the Mississippi 

 River, there is a chain of bluffs which fall off rapidly to- 

 ward the river on the west. This line of bluffs is made 

 up of the Loess formation of very fine-grained silt of a 

 brownish color. The Loess area forms a narrow tract 

 along the eastern border of the Mississippi Valley, widest 

 towards the bluffs and gradually narrowing to the east 

 until finally blended with the brown loams. 



Between the Loess bluffs and the Mississippi River is 

 the true Mississippi flood plain or "delta." This river 

 level is narrow in the southern portion of the State, but 

 widens to thirty miles or more toward the north. 



From east to west across the State, then, the character 

 of the soil changes, and in general, increases in value toward 

 the Mississippi River. The nature of the tree growth is 

 governed by the change in the character of the soil. 



Transportation. — The transportation facilities through- 

 out this region are excellent. Main lines of railroad pene- 

 trate each county, and bring the producer within fairly 

 easy reach of New Orleans and Gulfport on the south, and 

 Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago on the north. New lines 

 are being completed which will further increase the facility 

 for handling agricultural and forest products. The line 

 traversing the region east and west from the Pearl River 

 to Natchez will soon be in operation. These railroad lines 

 have opened up the country for ten miles or more on each 

 side of their rights of way. Beyond that, long and dif- 

 ficult wagon hauls are necessary. Along the Mississippi 

 River transportation is entirely by steamboats and barges. 



The large lumber companies located their mills along 

 the main lines of railroad and began operations almost 

 beside their mill yards. As the timber close at hand be- 

 came exhausted, tram lines or dummy roads were extended 

 toward the interior and the logs were hauled to the mills. 

 These roads are now so extended that in many cases op- 

 erations are being carried on thirty miles or more from the 

 mills. Each county has been penetrated by numerous 

 logging railroads, some of which are now permanent and 

 of extreme value to the communities. 



