'7653, 654] culture of yellow loam ridges. 305 



now, after the soil of the "turned out" old fields, of which there are many 

 on the brows of these hills, has been much damaged by winds and washing, the 

 judicious use of the subsoil plow would readily renovate it ; and by careful 

 prevention of washing, with attention to tilling only while the soil is somewhat 

 moist, they might produce for many years to come, and would undoubtedly be 

 susceptible of improvement by manure also, so long as the hardpan stratum is 

 not broken through — which, in using deep culture, must be carefully guarded 

 against (ir510, 2".); recollecting that what can be done with impunity and 

 advantage on the summits of the ridges, may ruin the hillside lands. The use 

 of the marls occurring at the foot of the Tallahoma and Paulding ridges, con- 

 jointly with vegetable matter, would be eminently useful on these soils, and might 

 even [reclaim the land where the subsoil crust is very thin or wanting. The 

 white " shell prairie " marls (l[208 ; 288), by themselves, however, should be used 

 with great caution — in quantities not exceeding one hundred to one hundred 

 and fifty bushels per acre, for a trial ; but since pine straw (H790, ff.), is very 

 available in these regions, for use in composting, it would seem advisable always 

 to employ it at least, conjointly with the marl. 



653. Rising, as these ridges do, rather suddenly, from the level regions of the 

 " hogbed prairie " and shell prairie (l[746); affording, from their summits, exten- 

 sive views over the wooded plains, they offer many tempting sites for residences. 

 The great depth required for wells (80 to 100 feet), in the absence of springs, is 

 somewhat of a drawback, but not greater, to say the least, than in many of the 

 best settled regions of the State, where cisterns are used altogether. Moreover, 

 it is very likely, from the considerable elevation of the country in Newton 

 county, as shown by the railroad levelings, that in bored wells, tubed as far as 

 the sand reaches, water could be procured to rise to within convenient distances 

 of the surface (1[325). The improvement of these ridges, therefore, highly 

 desirable as it is, is by no means as difficult as might seem at first sight. By the 

 aid of the Rotten Limestone, or rather, perhaps, the lime made of it (IT 147, ff.), 

 similar improvements will be practicable with the similar lands of Noxubee, 

 Kemper and Lauderdale. 



Of the lands of Neshoba and Newton, I have but little personal knowledge. 

 A large portion of East Neshoba greatly resembles that of Winston covered by 

 the pale yellow, black-pebble loam (1[543), save in that the scrubby Black Jack 

 is, perhaps, rather prevalent over the Post Oak. In West Neshoba there are 

 said to exist some of the highest ridges in the State. 



654. Bottom Soils op the Yellow Loam Region. — The Bottom 

 soils of the smaller streams necessarily vary so much in conformity 

 with the soils of the surrounding uplands, that it would be impos- 

 sible to consider them specially under a distinct head, without 

 continual repetition. They bear, as it were, the average character 

 of the soils of the hills from which they receive their washings 

 (usually with the addition of vegetable matter); henco that of the 

 bottom soil of one stream will be changed to a certain extent, so 

 soon as other streams, whose uplands are of a different kind, unite 

 with the first, carrying with them, of course, their peculiar depos- 

 its, to mingle with those of the others, and to modify their charac- 

 ter accordingly. 



I intend, therefore, to give, under this head, merely general remarks on the 

 character of the bottom soils of the principal streams and their tributaries. No 

 analyses having as yet been made of any of these soils, all I can say regarding 

 them refers to their extent of occurrence, their growth, physical properties, etc., 

 as observed in the field. They are usually so fertile, that few of them have as 

 yet begun to be worn out ; and as there has been less demand for knowledge in 

 ■regard to them, I have thus far directed my attention more especially to the 

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