Ten Days in Ohio. 233 



and light, but the general cultivation o? red clover, has, within six or 

 eight years, actually doubled the agricultural wealth of the county. 



Flint-ridge. 



One mile east of Somerset, the road commences crossing that 

 singular formation in the geology of Ohio, called " Flint-ridge." 

 The deposit shows itself in large black flinty masses, about half way 

 up the side of a long hill, cropping out by the side of the road for 

 some distance. It is harder, and also much darker colored, than 

 that used in the manufacture of mill stones, on the Raccoon Creek, 

 in Jackson County, or on the heads of Moxahela ; but is of the same 

 formation, being mixed with a portion of lime. A deposit of sand- 

 stone lies over it, higher up the hill. It does not show itself again, 

 until we are about a mile west of Somerset, when it crops out anew 

 on the western declivity of a hill, in the same manner as on the east 

 side, embracing the width of about two miles. Its general course is 

 from north east to south west, passing through the counties of Co- 

 shocton, Licking, Muskingum, Perry, Hockhocking and Jackson, 

 and probably into the " knobs" and barrens of Kentucky. In Hock- 

 ing County, it seems to have been deposited in a fine siliceous paste, 

 of various colors, from a pure white to yellow, clouded and black; and 

 is considerably used in manufacturing hones and stones, similar to "oil 

 stone," for the use of the cabinet maker and joiner. In Jackson and 

 Muskingum Counties, it is extensively manufactured into all the va- 

 rious forms of mill stones, equal to the best French buhrs, which are in 

 great demand through the western states. The whole deposit abounds, 

 more or less, with the casts of fossil shells, beautifully replaced, in ma- 

 ny instances, by pure quartz ; some are wholly studded over with 

 drusy crystals, others filled with chalcedony, and quite translucent. 



The various families of Producti, Ammonites, Nautili, Encrini, 

 &tc. with many undescribed species, are here presented, as the 

 historic medals of geology, designed and impressed by the Creator 

 of all things. I have a Productus, (beautifully coated with minute 

 crystals,) which, on breaking the shell, exhibited the animal reduced 

 to about two thirds of its original size. The shell is two inches in 

 breadth, one inch and a half in length and about one and a fourth in 

 diameter, and is the most beautiful petrifaction I have ever seen. I 

 have also, from the same locality, a very interesting fossil, which may 

 probably have been the pedestal or stem of an encrinital animal. It 

 is nearly six inches in diameter, a perfect circle in outline, and two 



Vol. XXV.— No. 2. 30 



