242 GEOLOGICAL RECONKOISSANCE 



Agriculture. 



Large tracts of level land exist over the area of the above mentioned 

 shales? from which the soil has been chiefly derived iirthis county. Where 

 the reddish-colored ferruginous shales of this group prevail, the land is 

 productive and easily cultivated; but where the purely argillaceous shales 

 exist, the soil is stiff, refractory, and inclined to be sprouty, and difficult to 

 bring into a good condition for cultivation; however, when subdued, it 

 becomes fertile. These flat clay lands, in their wild state, support a luxu- 

 riant growth of "barren grass," excellent for stock. The timber is mostly 

 postoak and gum. The soil of the hill land is mostly derived from the 

 sandstone of the millstone grit series, and is easily cultivated, though not 

 so productive as the bottom lands. The principal growth of timber, on 

 the highlands, consists of white, red, and blackoaks, black hickory, and 

 black-jack oak. A set of soils was collected, characteristic of the latter 

 lands, from Mr. John W. Purdom's farm, in section 36, township 3 north, 

 range 12 west. 



PRAIRIE COUNTY. 



At the time I reached this county, the flies were found to be so numer- 

 ous that it was impossible for the horses to travel during the day; conse- 

 quently my observations in this county have been limited. 



It is a level prairie country, as its name implies, and its substratum is 

 composed of the orange-colored sand belonging to the quaternary period. 

 The only solid rocks observed, are in the north-western part of the county, 

 and belong to the millstone grit formation. The greater portion of this 

 county is well adapted for cultivation, and though mostly open prairie, 

 there are considerable bodies of good timber bordering along the numer- 

 ous small streams that water this county. There is, at all times, an inex- 

 haustible supply of wild grass, for stock, and large droves of Mexican 

 mustangs, and Texas horses, passing through the country, are, annually 

 brought to this countv to recruit upon its rich, wild pastures. Samples of 

 soils were collected from the John Percifield old place, in the Grand prai- 

 rie seven miles from Brownsville, section 10, township 2 north, range 7 

 west This soil is said to be excellent for small grain, and will produce 

 twenty-five bushels of wheat to the acre. It is not so good for corn, the 

 average being from twenty-five to thirty bushels to the acre. 



