THE FARMERS* REGISTER. 



449 



barren vvasies vviihin every one's reach ; costin2 

 nothing and yielding a great deal ; and il' this 

 were rigidly carried in^o practice, how soon should 

 we see the naked sand banks th ■( exist to a 

 greater or ieiis extent, every where beiween the 

 Aiieghanies and the Ailaniic. converted into 

 verdant, luxuriant fields. Yet lor ihe want of 

 application and steady perseverance in this plain, 

 straight lorward, simple course, how many will 

 continue to live on in ignoianl poverty, when they 

 might, with less toil, and the use of a moderate 

 share of imelligence, have a competency. A 

 single bar lel't down in this pr^iciice, lets in Ihe 

 whole herd of Pharaoh's lean kine. VViiboui 

 the roller and plaster you get no clover; if you 

 cut olJ the clover when grown, you gei no subse- 

 quent crop ; or if you crop too closely or rapidly, 

 the clover-bearing propenies of the soil are ex- 

 hausted, and new manures, or years of idle, 

 wasielnl lallow are necessary to resuscitate it ; 

 whereas, by a careful observance of the above 

 plan, the ground is constantly and profitably at 

 work, bearing its burthens on equitable shares, 

 giving one half or two thirds to you, and reserv- 

 ing the remainder to itself, to enable it to continue 

 the supply. Though Mr. C. does not connect 

 any grazing or stock-feeding wiih these opera- 

 tions, it is easy to see how it can most advanta- 

 geously and profitably be associated vviih them. 

 Cattle and sheep cair be put on to the rye fields 

 both in lall and spring, when sufficienily thick 

 and stout to justily ii, and when well sodded over 

 with clover, what more mutually advantageous 

 to cattle and land, than such a coj arinership ? 



NOTICE OP THE APPOMATTOX COAL PITS. 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 

 The following notes were collected during a 

 short visit to that part of the coal field on the Ap- 

 pomattox river. Appruachirig the coal field liont 

 the river ihe land is undulating, ihe soil varying 

 in color and texture as the underlying rock, gra- 

 nite or hornblende slate appears at the surlace. 

 The disintegration of the hornblende |iroducing 

 a red tenacious clay — whilst the soil de'rivi d from 

 granite is gray and light. The hornblende slaie 

 which dips 10 the east can be traced lo the verge 

 or out-crop of the coal measures, which dip in the 

 opposite direction. Commencing at Rowleit's pits, 

 one mile (rom the river, the general direction of 

 the strike or oul-crop is about north 20*-' east. In 

 this line, and 5 miles norih ol' Rowleit's, are 

 Coate's old pits, now the property ol' Mr. Hall of 

 Petersburg. These are the two extreme points 

 at which coal has been discovered on the Appo- 

 mattox, and even at these the seam was lound 

 too thin and too much disturbed to adniit of suc- 

 cessful operations — the coal at Coaie's old pits be- 

 ing but 2 leet thick. Hill's old pits are situated 

 one mile south of Coate's ; the seam here, which is 

 about 5 leet thick, was worked 5 or 6 years and 

 abandoned. These pits were opened about 20 

 years since, and it is but within the last 3 years 

 that coal has been discovered at any intermediate 

 point. To a person at all acquainted with th.e 

 science of geology this muslseem strange. The dip 

 of any stratum being given, the strike or line of di- 

 rection of the stratum is also known, being always 

 at right angles with the dip. The pits were 

 Vol. X.~57 



worked at or near the oui-crop; the dip was of 

 course known and the direction of the out-crop 

 could be easily tr.iced. The thickness of the seam 

 at Hill's indicniiijg too an increasing thickness to- 

 wards the south. 



At Clover IIill the coal approaches within a few 

 feet of the surlisce, being covered by a thin dilu- 

 viiil siraium. The discovery of coal at this point 

 in 1S39 was followed up by Mr. Cox with energy 

 and intelligence. The Clover Hill pits were sold 

 one year after their discovery, by Mr. Cox, and are 

 now the property of the Clover Hill Company. 

 They are situated 2 miles south of Coate's pits 

 arid about 4 miles Irom the river. 



At first the seam was worked immediately at 

 the out-crop ; this has been abandoned, and a 

 shaft sunk to the depth ol 240 (eet, being thedeepest 

 on the Appomattox, and about 336 feet west of 

 ihe out-crop. The dip of the coal at ihfe oul-crop 

 is 45°, the difierence between the distance from 

 the oul-crop and the depth of the shafi, the surface 

 being nearly level, shows that the seam flattens 

 ofl' towards the centre ol the field. The dip in 

 the shaft is about 20°. For a section of the shaft, 

 with an illustrative suite of specimens, much va- 

 luable mlbrmalion, and other civilities, I am in- 

 debted to Mr. Cox. The shaft passes through 

 the usual coal measures, consisiing of aliernatiofis 

 of sandstones, slate, grit, coal, shale, &c. The 

 organic remains Ibund are lew and imperfect, 

 with the exception of some gigantic calanrites, 

 measuring 10 inches in diameter, and generally 

 lound in a vertical position, their lower extremi- 

 ties resting on glance coal. The substance of these 

 calamites is Oiten difl'erent from the rock in 

 which they are imbedd- d, proving that they were 

 first enclosed, tind subsequently replaced by matter 

 from above. The coal here is 14 :eet thick, in- 

 cluding 3 leet of slate; it is worked in two paral- 

 lel drills, connected at intervals. By means of 

 the divisions in the shalt the ventilation is quite 

 efi'eciive. Ttie floor of the drills, having a slight 

 inclination towards the shaft, the loaded corves 

 descend by their own gravitation, and when empty 

 are drawn to each extrerniiy by a mule. We 

 were siruck with the favorable appearance of 

 every thing here. 'J'he drifts are well drained, 

 ihe roof excellerrt, not indicating the slightest dis- 

 turbance. It is impossible to contemplate, with- 

 out feelings of pleasure, this vast store for the 

 uiture comfort oi'our lellow beings. The coal mea- 

 sures here, as on James river, rest on a coarse por- 

 phyritic graiiite. The, seam worked however ia 

 not immediaiely in contact with the granite ; 

 several lieei of sandstone and perhaps another 

 seam of coal being interposed. 



Twenty-five men are employed, and it is 

 thought that the coal raised during the present 

 year will amount to 150,000 bushels. The rais- 

 ing of the coals as well as the draining of the pits 

 is eHected by means of a small steam engine. 

 The raising oJ water by means of rope and buck- 

 et is a great waste of time and power, and ha.i 

 nothing whatever to recommend it, excepting its 

 extreme simplicity. 



Johnson and Moody's |)it is located 100 yards 

 from Cox's line, the seam being the same as 

 that worked in the Clover Hill pit. The coal is 

 similar in quality, but the shaft being sunk nearer 

 the outcrop, the depth is only one hundred leet. 

 15 men are employed, and about 75,000 bushels 

 is the amount of coal estimated for the current year. 



