350 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [1764, . 765 1 , 765* 



prominent. Thereafter, the autumnal flora consists of many plants of the 

 Sunflower tribe (Ikliavthus angustifoKus, occidentulis ; Chryscpsis sericea, 

 mariana, etc.); of the Golden Hods (Solidago odora, akissima, leptocepfmla), 

 many species of Aster (among which A. coneda is characteristic) ; Sericoearpus 

 tortifolius, Diplopoppus ericoides ; Eupatorium rotundifolium ("Wild Hoar- 

 hound "), pnrviflorum. Several species of Liatris (L. odoratissima ("Vanilla 

 Plant ")i pycnostachya, gracilis, squarrosn, scariosa ("Rattlesnakes Master"); 

 Qnuphalium margnritaceum ; and other Compositae. Numerous Desmodia and 

 Lespedezae, among these especially, Desm. Marilavdiatm and laevigatum ; Le?p. 

 Stuvei,capituta, violacea, hirta. Of the Mint tritie, Monarda punctata, Eyptia 

 Qopitata, Pymanthtmum incant m are prominent, while Gerardiu pedicularis and 

 Heip'stis nigrescens. and sometimes Oerardi a purpurea, represent the Scrophu- 

 larineae. The further we advance southward, the more numerously, various 

 species of Huckleberry and Whortleberry (Vaccinium), most of wbich flower 

 early in spring, are represented among the undergrowth ; and in the same 

 manner the Gallberry (Prinos glaber) and Candleberry (Myrica cerifera) increase 

 in frequency in a southward direction, until near the Sea-Coast, they become 

 Tery abundant (11821; «24, ft'. ; 831). 



764. Where strata not very pervit.us to water underlie the soil at no great 

 depth, wet places, terminating in little branchlets, which afterwards often sink 

 into the sand, are often foimed. In these " Pine hollows " we find a flora 

 somewhat resembling that ot the Pine Meadows of the Coast, such as the 

 Candleberry (Myrica cerifera) Cord rush (Eriocaulon decangulure, villasum), the 

 "Yellow Star-g'iiss (Aletris avrea), the Xyris, Pivguicvla, Sundew (Drosera 

 brevifoliu), the Mitreola sessilifulia, Rhexia ciliosa. Eryngiuni virgatum ; and 

 in the southern portion, the Side-saddle Flower (Sarracmia purpurea), Pitcher- 

 plant (Sarr. variolaris), and Gallherry (Prinos glaber). The wet, dark-col- 

 ored soil, or muck, of th<se Pine hollows, is not unlrequently used for the 

 improvement of lands ; and where they are not too wet, the hollows themselves 

 are cultivated by preference. 



Such being, with a considerable degree of uniformity, the main features of the 

 Long-leaf Pine Region, it becomes necessary, in describing it, to mention the 

 exceptions rather than the rule. Several of the counties embraced within it, 

 I have not as yet examined specially at any point, e. g., Copiah, Jones and Perry r 

 and in the rest, my explorations have thus far been by no means exhaustive,. 

 I shall not therefore, lor the present, enter into detailed descriptions to any great 

 extent, since without the corresponding analyses of soils, etc., these could nofe 

 be of much practical import. 



765 1 . As we advance westward from E. Marion county towards 

 the Mississippi River, we observe, up to the dividing - ridge bet wees 

 the Amite and Uomoehitto (1.6M), a pretty regular increase, m 

 clayeynes^' of the subsoil, and a nearer approach of it to the surface :: 

 keeping pace with a pretty steady imptovement in the fertility of 

 the uplands, and a gradual change of the forest growth as above 

 described, to that of the Southern River Counties. 



The Oaks become more frequent, and are joined by the Spanish (" Red >r ) 

 Scarlet (" Spanish"), the (true) Red, and Black Oak, and some Hickory ane& 

 Sweet Gum ; while the Short-leat Pine gradually becomes predominant oves 

 the Long- leaf, which, in E. Franklin appears only in belts or ridges, and a few 

 miles W. of Meadville disappears altogether. 



765 2 On the headwaters of the West Amite, in T. 5, R. 4 E., we find tha 

 uplands bearing a mixed growth as above described ; the surface soil, which if- 

 still somewhat ashy, but of a pale yellow tint, is 6 to 8 inches deep ; below it. 

 lies a good yellow loam (almost always containing some " black pebble " — H387), 

 which is sufficiently heavy to be improved by the admixture of sand, as has 

 been experienced. Such land (e. g., near the plantation of Jos. Coten, Esq..) 



