•2i AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [MlOi, 705 



gradually disappears as we approach within five or six miles of Fayette. After 

 this the tree is seen no more, even casually, until we come within about four 

 miles of Port Gibson, where we find a tract of only a few sections with a light, 



■ warm "mulatto" soil, timbered chiefly with the two specimens of Magnolia, 

 in their fullest development. Beyond this district, again, the Cucumber tree 



' becomes extremely scarce, being only found in bottoms, occasionally ; and it is 

 said that the inhabitants of Natchez and neighborhood have failed in all their 

 attempts to transplant it to their soil as an ornamental tree. The analysis of 

 the soils referred to above will therefore be interesting as showing the peculiari- 

 iies of soil on which the thriftiness of this tree depends. 



704. The light brown loam of the Hamburg Hills, with its underlying stratum 

 of pale material, continues to within a quarter of a mile (S.) of the town of 

 Fayette, where both mixed together have been used in making brick. But as 

 we leave Fayette on the Port Gibson road, the dark, umber-colored loam, such 

 as we find overlying the calcareous silt of the Cane Hills (HC84: 1 , 687), is alone 

 to be seen ; and it is this chiefly, which forms the soil and subsoil of the gently 

 undulating, agricultural region which in Jefferson county intervenes betwixt 

 the Cane and Pine Hills. A change in the character of the loam, similar to that 

 just mentioned, takes place as we pass from Willow Spring in Claiborne county, 

 into the Pine and Oak ridge lands which here extend like a spur to the west- 

 ward, into the Cane Hills themselves. 



705. Near Rocky Spring (u233), on the Little Sand, and particularly in Mr. 

 • J. F. Brock's neighborhood, a peculiar condition of things obtains in some tracts. 



Here, a gray, somewhat ashy soil, much resembling the surface soil of the Pine 

 Hills themselves, overlies, to the depth of about ten inches on an average, a brown 

 loam subsoil apparently identical with that of the Hills, and evidently fertile, 

 as the timber is very large, while the smaller plants, whose roots are shallow, 

 seem to indicate but an indifferent soil. The prevalent tree is the Beech ; next 

 to this, the Spanish ("Bed"), White, and Chestnut White Oak, with a good 

 deal of Holly, and some Short-leaved Pine ; on the hillsides and heads of 

 hollows, the Magnolia occurs, and large Grape vines are common both in the 

 hills and valleys. 



It is complained that this land (with the shallow tillage now practiced) is both 

 unproductive in its natural condition, and will not be benefitted even by stable- 

 manure ; which does not seem to decay in the soil, but remains " raw ", as also 

 do forest leaves, etc. The Gouber pea and pea vine alone seem to flourish 

 pretty well. 



These circumstances corroborate what is indicated by the aspect of the soil ; 

 it is not sufficiently retentive either of moisture or manure, owing to the want 

 both of a sufficient quantity of clay, and of vegetable matter ; probably, also, 

 the surface soil is naturally poor ; while the subsoil, which is reached and pene- 

 trated by the roots of the larger trees, is rich in nutritive ingredients. The 

 remedy is obvious : the subsoil must be brought up by subsoil plowing and mixed 

 with the surface soil ; thus improving it both physically and chemically ; veget- 

 able matter must also be introduced, and in order to facilitate the decomposition 

 of the latter, as well as to stimulate the subsoil, lime, or a calcareous marl, 

 ought to be used at the same time. The calcareous silt of the bluff formation, 

 which is still found in places, in this region, may be used for this purpose. It 

 may be observed, that in so doing we imitate what nature has done in the form- 

 ation of the fertile hillside or Magnolia soils of the same neighborhood. The 

 gray surface soil and leaves, in being washed down the hillsides, are first mixed 

 with brown loam subsoil, then, lower down, with the calcareous silt ; and it will 

 be noticed that where the latter is entirely absent, the growth of the Magnolia 

 is comparatively stunted, even in the valleys. Whether this is due to the 

 direct influence of the lime as a nutritive ingredient, or to its stimulant action 

 on the soil, remains to be determined. 



