GEOtOGICAL StFKVET. 



Magnesia, ..*...; ... 0.010' 



Phosphoric acid, trace, 



Potash, trace. 



This soil was regarded by Gen. Blount as second quality. 

 Its growth consisted of low pines, gums and poplars. It how- 

 ever produced forty bushels of corn to the acre, but the last 

 crop was only thirty bushels. Afterwards, it gave twenty 

 bushels of oats to the acre. 



The proportion of silex, it will be perceived, is much greater 

 than in No. 1. The specimen was taken from a poor spot in 

 the field. It had been under culture for ten years. Depth 

 of soil twelve inches. 



In attempting the solution of the question, why a poor 

 crop was at last produced, we should not forget that certain 

 soils in this climate become dry at an early day ; and if so, 

 we invariably find the cereals growing very slim and slender, 

 and perhaps soon cease to grow, turn yellow, and produce, if 

 any, a very small ear of grain. In a shallow soil such a re- 

 sult may be expected, notwithstanding the soil, on analysis, 

 may be found to contain the elements of fertility. In the 

 same field, plants growing in the same soil, a part may yield 

 seed and fruit, and another will fail; the results being de- 

 pendent on the existence of moisture surrounding the roots 

 of the plant. 



No. 4. The color is grayish black, and contain half decom- 

 posed roots, bark, etc. It has also partially dried in the box, 

 and in drying, becomes lighter colored. This soil is deeper 

 than either of the preceding, being between three and four 

 feet deep, and incumbent on a porous bottom. 



The growth is very large, consisting of black gum from one 

 to two feet in diameter, and from fifty to sixty feet high. The 

 limbs are straight as well as the bodies. Very large poplars 

 also are found scattered over the field, also cypress in clusters 

 from eight to ten in each. 

 This sample I found composed as follows : 



Silex, 77.500 



Organic matter, 15.400 



Peroxide of iron and alumina, 4 6.900 



