346 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [T757, 758 



injurious to health. It is not, therefore, without good reason that, 

 so long as deep bored wells have only been attempted, cisterns 

 should be so very generally in use. 



Without entering into lengthy detail I can add but little to the generalities 

 given in the place above quoted. On the territory of the Jackson Group (see 

 map), ivhen there are no Orange Sand ridges sufficiently extensive to furnish 

 freestone wells, no water is generally obtained until we reach the underlying 

 lignitic strata, whose waters are always more or less mineral and particularly, 

 magnesian. 



757. The undrinkable saline waters of shallow wells at Canton have already 

 been noticed ; the city of Jackson, also furnishes a good example of the condition 

 of things in this region. Cisterns are chiefly used, although water can be 

 abundantly obtained in wells, especially in the western part of the town — there 

 being, however, a great variety ot composition. Thus, Mr. H. E. Sizers' well 

 (100 feet deep) is a chalybeate (containing Bicarbonate of Iron) with but a small 

 amount of Chloride of Magnesium and a little Common Salt ; very little Lime, 

 no Sulphates ; some odorous bituminous matter. 



A well at Mrs. Nichols' residence, West Jackson, yields strong sulphur water. 



A singular trio of wells is situated on the property of Capt. A. Mizell, in the 

 hommock of Dry Creek. One of these, which has already achieved for itself 

 some reputation, and has become a favorite resort for the inhabitants of Jackson 

 and neighborhood, is 23 feet deep, the water being obtained in a bed of marl 

 (No's 4 and 5 of Sec. 27, p. 131) ; it is of great strength, and the qualitative 

 analysis (first made by Prof. Riddell) gave the following result : 



Bicarbonate of Lime and Magnesia, largely. 



The Sulphates and Chlorides (seemingly in about equal proportions) of 



Magnesia, largely. 



Potash, " 



Lime, 



Soda. 



(The bases being named in the apparent order of their prevalence). Besides 

 these, there are small quantities of 



Silica, 



Free Carbonic Acid. 



The other well (of the same depth, and about 40 yards distant from the first), 

 whose water was obtained below the shellJoed, in bluish sandy clay (No. 3 of 

 the section quoted above) contains the Sulphates of 



Alumina, 



Lime, 



Magnesia, 



Potash, 



Soda, 

 And a smaller proportion of the Chlorides, probably of the latter four. 



The water of this well is somewhat weaker than that of the first well, but 

 nevertheless a strong astringent, and has an acid reaction ; while the former is 

 purgative, and its reaction alkaline. When the two waters are mixed, they 

 become turbid, the Alumina of the "Alum water" being precipitated. 



A third well, dug about 60 yards from either of the former, found no water in 

 the lignitic clays at 26 feet ; freestone sipage-water, however, comes in from 

 above, and the well exhales at its mouth a strong order resembling naphtha, or 

 coal gas. 



758. The waters of the Mississippi Springs* and of Cooper's Wells, though 



*The site of Cooper's Well, as given on the map, is in reality that of the 

 Mississippi Springs. The Wells are situated two miles S. of the point given, 

 on N. E. )i S. 35, T. 4, R. 2 W. 



