NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 37 



settled or unreclaimed swamp and pocosin lands of an excel- 

 lent quality. One tract in particular contains a hundred 

 square miles, and a large proportion of it is excellent swamp 

 land and some tracts are equal to the corn lands of Hyde 

 county. 



Johnston county contains large tracts of flat piney woods, 

 the soil of which produces only the shrubs which indicate 

 unproductiveness, as the gallberry, ilex, and magnolia or bay, 

 with a small growth of the long leaved pine. The surface, if 

 not covered with water, is liable to be overflowed and as it 

 consists of sand and clay, with a mixture of vegetable mould, 

 may be said to be quite impervious to water ; and hence, the 

 surface water stands over it for a long time, and its tempera- 

 ture remains too low for the growth of the more valuable 

 trees and plants. Towards Sampson county the country im- 

 proves, and upon the branches of the Six Run there are rich 

 plantations. The best swamp lands are still farther east ; and 

 these, while they are usually high enough to admit of drain- 

 age, are rarely more than fifty feet above tide level. The 

 Hyde county corn lands are about five feet above tide level, 

 or may be less than four feet. Sometimes, in close proximity 

 to the sounds, as in Carteret, the swamps are heaped up as 

 it were, and hence may be from twelve to sixteen feet above 

 the level of the sea. 



In Onslow county, the soil between Thompson's and Jack- 

 sonville is very good. Some of it is suitable for the ground 

 pea, being a light soil with considerable vegetable matter. 



22. In Onslow, the White Oak desert is the most inter- 

 esting tract of swamp land in the county, it is at the head of 

 White Oak creek. This tract may be drained into Trent 

 river. The timber is very large, and consists of white oak, 

 poplar and pines. 



The most important work which has been undertaken, is 

 the drainage of a part of this tract by Mr. Francke. He has 

 been able to secure two objects, the drainage of the land and 

 a good water power, with a fall of about twelve feet. The 

 cost of cutting the main drain or canal is fifteen cents per 

 square yard. The thickness of the soil in Mr. Franke's po- 



