VALUE OF LIMESTONE LANDS. 127 



the granary of the world and surpassingly rich in cattle. 

 The blue grass region of Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and 

 Iowa ; the inexhaustible bottoms of the Ohio" rivers ; the 

 "loess" soils of Nebraska and Kansas and the rich prairies 

 and forests of the north western states, are all underlaid with 

 limestone rocks and covered with a limestone soil of unsur- 

 passed fertility. These lands have made the United States 

 the richest and most powerful nation of the world ; for they 

 have attracted the many millions of industrious enterprising 

 immigrants which have covered these lands with fertile 

 farms, the produce of which has given employment to the 

 great railroads and fleets of steamships which carry abroad 

 millions of tons of grain and provisions and bring back more 

 of the wealth of muscle and brain, which makes up the 

 strength and power of this great nation. The following ta- 

 ble exhibits the character of the soils referred to. 



123 



From Kentucky From the From 



blue grass region. Ohio volley. Nebraska. 



Silica and fine sand 76.20 85.14 80.51 



Alumina 8.51 5.66 6.81 



Oxide of iron 2.59 1.22 0.31 



Lime 3.92 1.56 4.40 



Magnesia 1.68 .31 1.16 



Potash 1.14 .48 2.13 



Soda 0.64 .02 .21 



Phosphoric acid 1.65 1.60 1.22 



Gypsum , .01 .02 .09 



Chlorine 01 .03 .03 



Carbonic acid .08 



Organic matter 2.62 3.38 2.44 



99.97 99.50 99.31 



Every element required for the abundant growth of crops 

 is here represented in such proportion as will ensure lasting 

 fertility under judicious management. Everywhere that 

 limestone prevails fruit is unusually excellent; grass grows 

 with profusion ; and sheep cattle and horses are unexcelled. 

 The cattle, horses, and the pastures of Kentucky furnish 

 types of the fertility of the limestone soils. 



The so called drift soils are those made up of materials 

 transported from a distance by the floods and ice beds, of 

 the later periods of the geological ages. These soils are 



