344 agricultural REroRT. [1752, 753, 754 



by turning down a green crop. The uplands on which Garlandsville is situated, 

 have mostly a sandy soil, timbered chiefly with Post Oak and Pine (Long- and 

 Short-leaf); in places, however, it has a good loam foundation, and other Oaks, 

 with Hickory, set in. The higher ridges possess a soil similar to that of the 

 Tallahoma ridges (T[651). No prairies seem to occur north of Garlandsville. 



752. Clarke and Wayne. — The northern portion of Clarke 

 county, outside of the limits of the Jackson Group (see map), and 

 especially east of the Chickasawhay, bears essentially the character 

 of the Long-leaf Pine Region, so far as I have seen ; differing little, 

 in this respect, from the adjoining portions of Lauderdale (l"b50).. 

 In T. 4, R. 16 E., the detritus of the chert, sandstones and clay- 

 stones of the Silicious Claiborne Group (ll 189, 190 1 ), is often 

 largely diffused through the soil, without influencing in any sensible 

 degree its producing powers. Occasionally, also, we find tracts 

 possessing a pretty good loam foundation, with a growth of upland 

 Oaks, Black Gum and Short-leaf Pine (1649). 



The bottoms are not very wide, possess light soils, on which the Star Anise 

 (" Stinking Bush" — IUicium Floridanum), and the Calico Bush, or Sheep 

 Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) are abundant. A few miles north-west of Quitman 

 we see one of those sandy ponds or marshes, which further south become so 

 abundant, covered with a sward of long grass, and a thick undergrowth of the 

 Candleberry or Myrtle (Myrica Carolinensis) and Bay {Magnolia glaucd). 

 "Within about four and a half miles of Quitman on the Enterprise road, there is 

 a tract of Pine Hills not differing very obviously in its timber from the rest, but 

 possessing, under ten to twelve inches of ashy soil, a deep orange-colored 

 subsoil, which is quite heavy, and if turned up would no doubt greatly improve 

 the soil for cultivation ; the marls of the Quitman neighborhood would, also, 

 in this case, be freely used. 



753. The Chickasawhay Eiver in N. Clarke rarely shows much first bottom ; 

 its banks arc generally high and steep, breaking off from a level hommock, whose 

 total width varies from one to two miles, and sometimes more ; it is generally 

 timbered, prevalently, with Oaks, especially White Oak, mixed variously with 

 Black Oak, Sweet Gum, Cherry, Hickory, some Bottom Pine (P. tatda), and 

 Bottom White Pine. The soils, as may be supposed, are prevalently light 

 (l[342), but produce well — in favorable seasons, as much as a bale per acre may 

 1»e raised ; as for instance, near Quitman, where the soil is somewhat heavier 

 than usual, and when plowed wet will readily pulverize on drying. The gray 

 ■oil generally possesses, at the depth of ten to fifteen inches, a good yellow loam 

 subsoil, which is underlaid by loose sand at some three to four feet, and is there- 

 fore well drained ; deep plowing and the copious use of the marls of the region 

 (V'^89, tf.), will sustain these soils for a long time. 



754. Southward of Quitman, we again find Pine Hills with an inferior soil ; 

 the presence of the marls (which frequently crop out in the streams — ^290), 

 being recognized only by the growth of " Poplar ", Crab Apple, etc., on the 

 lower hillsides and ravines. This aspect of the country continues with little 

 ehange until, on the S. side of Coonupy Creek, we enter upon the prairies of the 

 territory of the Jackson Group (^196 ; 209, tf). 



The prairies which form plateaux or level ridges between the water courses, 

 possess some peculiar features. The smaller portion only is really bare of 

 timber, with only occasional clumps of Crab Apple and Honey Locust ; their soil 

 is usually much lighter than the soil timbered chiefly with sturdy Post Oak and 

 Bhort-leaf Pine, thickly hung with Long Moss, and accompanied by an under- 

 growth of Crab Apple, Wild Plum, etc., which forms the greater part of the 

 tract. It is a very heavy soil, producing, in rainy times, a fearfully tenacious 

 mud ; the black surface soil is 6 to 12 inches deep, then comes an equally heavy 



