38 



NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



eosin* is five feet towards the outer rirn, and still thicker to- 

 wards the middle, attaining at least ten feet of rich soil. 

 This pocosin is said to vary much in its depth and quality ; 

 some parts are sandy, and the trees are still large and nu- 

 merous. These sandy knowles are called islands. But the 

 excellent quality of parts of it which are covered with heavy 

 timber, prove by cultivation that it is equal to the Matamus- 

 keet lands of Hyde their average yield being twelve barrels 

 of corn to the acre. 



I have not seen the land referred to in Jones county, but I 

 am confirmed in the statement from its composition, which I 

 have determined by a careful analysis. Thus the drained 

 portion of Mr. Francke's pocosin gave me a result on analysis 

 equal in value to the best of the Hyde county soils. It is as 

 follows : 



Silex, , , 60.000 



Organic matter, 25.000 



Peroxide of iron and alumina, 11.030 



Phosphoric acid, , , 0.312 



Lime, 1 500 



Magnesia, , , 0.300 



Potash, 0.010 



Soda ...,' 0.020 



Soluble silica, 0.100 



Water, 2.713 



From the foregoing results, when compared with those 

 obtained by anaylsis of the Hyde county soil, it will be 

 acknowledged that if composition is a test which can be relied 

 upon, the Onslow swamp lands must be very valuable ; and 

 furthermore, that this value justifies the expense required in 

 draining. This is the first question to be settled in all swamp 

 lands: are their qualities good enough to justify this neces- 

 sary expense ? because they must be drained before the cereals 

 can be cultivated. The encouragement to incur this first ex* 

 pense arises from the fact that when drained they do not 



* This pocosin is partly in Onslow and partly in Jones county. The portion 

 which has been drained and cleared is in Jones Bounty. The only meaning which 

 J can^attach to the word pocosin is, that it is a large swamp. 



