•[648, 649] Ridge soils. 303 



Flatwoods of Xoxubee and part of Kemper, (T5G3), is the type of a class of sandy, 

 but productive ridge soils, which prevail to a considerable extent, and acquire 

 considerable importance, in S. E. Mississippi. I shall mention them here, as 

 far as I know them to exist, in connection with the fellow loam, whose place 

 they evidently occupy ; although they extend considerably beyond the limits of 

 what I have placed under the head of the Yellow Loam Region. 



The ridge soils of Kemper, W. of the Flatwoods, are generally 

 very sandy. Those of the main dividing ridges especially in the 

 northern portion, generally resemble that of the Summervillc 

 Ridge : but the lower ridges often greatly resemble those of S. 

 Winston, and are of inferior fertility. 



Such is the case, for instance, in the uplands between Dekalb and Scooba, 

 timbered with a middle-sized growth of Hickory, Short-leaf Pine, Spanish 

 (" Bed ") Oak, and scattered Red ("Black") Oak and Sassafras. The soil is 

 yellowish very sandy, and increasing in sandiness downwards, without the 

 "intervention (as on the Summerville ridge) of any retentive hardpan stratum ; 

 until, at the depth of 2 to 2% feet, it is almost pure sand. Of course, deep 

 culture would not only be useless, but positively injurious in such a soil, which 

 would in any case wear out very soon ; it is, however, but very little cultivated, 

 the settlements being mostly confined to the creek bottoms, which have rather 



a heavy, " flatwoody " soil. ...,«. • j . u -i 



On the main ridge, we generally find at a certain depth, an indurate subsoil 

 crust which renders the soil capable of profitable cultivation, and improvement. 

 This 'crust, the depth of which varies greatly in different localities (from 8 

 inches to 2 feet) ought not to be broken through on any account, since after 

 that, the land must become absolutely useless (l[510, ff.). Local examination 

 alone can determine, in each particular case, what is the depth to which the 

 plow can safely go. . 



648 The bottom soils of the Yazoo, Patickfaw, etc., are exceeding sandy, 

 although on the ridge dividing them, we see a good loam soil ; as also on some 

 of those south of Patickfaw, in whose bottom we find, on this route, the first 

 Lon«--leaf Pine, which thereafter, onward to Daleville, alternates, m strips of 

 poor sandy ridge land, with lands bearing the short-leaf Pine, m company with 

 large Spanish (" Bed") and Post Oaks, whose soil is a yellow, somewhat sandy 

 loam, producing from five to 800 pounds of seed cotton per acre. 



Near Daleville (1178), we find on the uplands a stifl, red, clay 

 soil, resembling in aspect that of the Noxubee Hills (1(344), but not 

 equal in productiveness ; it evidently requires deep tillage to make 

 the crops safe. The same soil is seen southward of Daleville, where 

 it resembles still more strikingly, even in its growth, the soil of the 

 Noxubee hills, and also approaches it in productiveness ; it is obvi- 

 ously derived chiefly from the white or gray clay which underlies, 

 and sometimes even comes to the surface in what are, very improp- 

 erly termed "prairie spots " (1370, ff.). 



649. Beyond Sowashee Creek, we again strike sandy land resembling that ot 

 the Summerville Ridge ; then, high ridges with ferruginous sand-rock, timbered 

 with Pine, Post Oak and Black Jack. At the town of Marion, we have a yellow, 

 sandy, loam subsoil, several feet in thicknees, timbered with Post Oak and bhort- 

 leaf Pine, both short and sturdy, stout, good sized Hickory, some Spanish 

 (« Bed ") and Black Oak ; also Black Gum. This soil, which produces well is 

 of particular interest as having proved itself well adapted to the culture of the 

 Catawba grape— a crop which is likely to become, in time, of the highest 

 importance to the State (H 706, ff".). , J.-*,^ 



In 1859, at the time of my visit, about 5 acres of vineyard had been planted 



