*266 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [11557, 558. 559 



the "Devils Shoe-string" (Tephrosia Virginica), Grasses (Andropogon) and 

 Fern (Pteris aquilina), and at the proper season, rendered quite showy by various 

 flowers of the Sunflower tribe (Rudbeckia hirta, Coreopsis lanceoluta, Sifphium, 

 etc.). 



557. Between the two forks of the Hatchie, in TT. 3, 4 and N. W. J^ T. 5, 

 It. 5 E., the country is mostly of the same character — very hilly and broken, 

 soil very sandy and thin, and timbered as above, with the addition of the Itock 

 Chestnut Oak (Qaercus prinos monticola), which is of rare occurrence elsewhere; 

 some of the highest elevations in the State, probably, occur here (113) on the 

 high Orange Smd ridges, which are frequently capped with ledges of ferruginous 

 sandstone (111 tf.; 57). Towards the W. fork, however, the land gradually 

 improves, and after crossing it, the country assumes, within 5 miles E. of Ripley, 

 the character of the region S. of the latter place. — [i is noticeable that in TT. 4 

 and 5 especially, the " Poplar" and other lime-loving trees frequently appear in 

 the ravines and on the hillsides, as well as in the bottom of the Hatchie itself 

 (which is very fertile, but subject to overflow). It is quite likely, therefore, 

 that at many points, the marls, of the Ripley Group (1J 143) are near to t ha 

 surface ; and such as that occurring on the bluff of a creek near Kellum's mill, 

 on Hatchie (if 134), would prove highly beneficial to the poor soils of the region. 

 The black clays of the lower Hatchie, however, are useless for that purpose 

 (17134). 



55s. Further S., between the heads of the Hatchie and Talla- 

 hatchie, the extreme Pine Hill character is gradually lost, the 

 country becomes less broken, the soil less sandy, and the other 

 upland Oaks gradually mingle with the Black Jack and Post Oak, 

 while the Pine becomes less frequent. 



Such is the character of the country near Molino, where some of the uplands 

 produce 500 to 700, others 900 to 1000 lbs. of seed-cotton per acre. But as we 

 advance southward, after crossing Wilhite's Creek, we enter fully upon the 

 fertile lands of the Pontotoc Ridge (the "Buncombes"), which here adjoin, on 

 the W., level or gently undulating uplands timbered chiefly with sturdy Post 

 Oak and Hckory, and here styled " Flat woods" — which are underlaid by the 

 Rotten Limestone (S E. )^> T. 6, R. 6 E.), and form the transition from the 

 lands of the Ridge proper, to those of the "White Lime Country (538). 

 Similar, fertile lands skirt the latter on the W., in T. 5, near Dry Run P. O., or 

 Jumpertown, where excellent marls seem to occur (If 135); which thus far, 

 however, in that immediate neighborhood, have only been found in wells. The 

 high ridges W of Blackland (HT20) are covered chiefly with a rich Oak growth, 

 mixed with " Poplar" and Locust ; bluish marl of fine quality is found in the 

 gullies (e. g., at the " Big Hili", S. 18, T. 5, R. 6 E). Only the highest ridges 

 sometimes bear a few Pines, on knolls covered with brown sandstone. 



55v>. South Tippah and the Pontotoc Ridge. — The narrow 

 belt of fertile land underlaid by marl beds, which extends north- 

 ward from Ripley (556), bears essentially the same character as 

 S. Tippah. E. of the Flatwoods and W. of the Hatchie Hills. A 

 more or less undulating, sometimes hilly surface, with a deep 

 mellow loam soil bearing a rich Oak growth, interspersed more or 

 less with Hickory, and frequently also bearing the " Poplar" and 

 Walnut, characterize the first class lands of the region, whose 

 permanent fertility isinsuredby the abundant beds of marl (If 1 43, £f.), 

 and glauconitic limestones (TT 153), so easily accessible. Where the 

 Oak growth becomes lank and thin, and a great deal of Scarlet 

 (" Spanish") Oak mixes with it, the soil is often inferior on the sur- 

 face, but everywhere possesses a fine subsoil. Long spurs of pine 



