176 GEOLOGICAL REPORT. [1294,295* 



become, the upper strata gradually descending to the water level 

 and finally disappearing beneath it, until, at the bluffs above Red 

 Bluff Station, a material altogether different takes their place, as 

 is shown in the- profile (Sec 28, 1212.) 



Here we have 50 to 60 feet of a bluish clay mail, almost uniform above and 

 5elow, and containing chiefly minute, imperfect shells ; no ledges of rock appear 

 within it, and traces only of greensand grains. Judging from its eifervesence 

 with acids, this mail is limey enough to serve as a .strong stimulant dressing, 

 dspccially on light soils; it is not so well suited, however, to the heavy 'hog- 

 rallow soil" which occupies the top of the bluff. 



2V>4. Lower down the river, the heavy green clay which appears 

 at the top of* the profile (See. 28,1212) descends lower, and itself 

 forms the bluff; it is unlit to serve any purpose in agriculture, and 

 and shows neither shells, nor effervesence ("boiling") with acids. 

 Gradually, however, it also descends to the water, and overlying 

 it appear the white marls of the Vicksburg Group, so closely 

 resembling those occurring near Brandon, that it is difficult to dis- 

 tinguish specimens of the two, one from the rock cut on the South- 

 ern R. R. at Yosr's Lime-kiln, Kankincounly (1285), and the other 

 from the bluff of the Chickasawhay at Dr. E. A. Miller's, near 

 Waynesboro 7 , Wayne county ; their chemical nature also being, no 

 doubt, essentially the same. 



At the latter place also, the yellowish-white marl generally occurs between 

 ledges of limestone ; nor are even the calcareous sands wanting, which we see 

 in the cuts near Brandon Depot (H'218). The latter also appear with frequency 

 9E: hilltops on the west side of the Chickasawhay, in T. 9, R. 7 W.; and in the 

 streams — as for instance, on Yellow Creek — blue marls resembling those at and 

 above Byram, appear, inclosed as usual, between ledges of rock. Specimens of 

 similar marls have been furnished me from Mr. Wuldron's place on the Chick- 

 asawhay, near Waynesboro'. 



As a manure proper, the blue marls, which generally contain 

 greensand grains, are preferable, of course, to the white, which 

 furnish only lime to the soil. The variety of materials occurring 

 in this region is so great, however, as to deserve a more special 

 examination than, thus far, I have been able to bestow on them ; 

 especially in view of the equally great variety of soils, itself owing 

 more or less, no doubt, to the variability of the materials in ques- 

 tion. 



295 1 No marls are found on the Chickasawhay, so far as I am aware, much 

 below Dr. E. A. Miller's, near Waynesboro', Wayne count}'. I have not myself 

 visited the waters of the Buckatunna, but from what information I have obtained, 

 the beds corresponding to those on the Chickasawhay from Quitman in Clarke 

 county, to Waynesboro' in Wayne, appear again on the Buckatunna, in a direc- 

 tion south of cast, as indicated on the map, and in the intervening tract of coun- 

 try, the marl, together with the limestones associated with il, is found in the 

 ravines and water-courses, and also, where there is prairie, on the hills and hill- 

 sides. A growth of Crab-Apple, Wild Plum, Poplar, Red-Bud, etc., in the 

 hollows, will generally indicate the presence of some of these calcareous mate- 

 rials, near to the surface. 



The clayey, gypseous marls of some parts of Hinds, Rankin and 

 Scott, which are intimately connected, in most cases, with the bald 

 prairies of that region, will be mentioned in connection with th« 



