-356 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [11781,782 



of T. 2, RR. 17 and 18 W., near Mr. Tate's, it is on the Mississippi side, about 

 a mile wide ; and its soil, like that of the Pascagoula in the same latitude (l[809), 

 is quite heavy — timbered with a very large growth of Sweet Gum, Sheli-'xirk 

 Hickory, Water, Spanish ("lied"), Chestnut White and Black Oaks, Holly, 

 Ironwood, Hornbeam, some Mulberry and Magnolia. A very productive soil 

 aot as difficult to till as its aspect would lead one to anticipate ; but on account 

 of its heaviness crops are often belated by the overflows. 



The hills skirting the hommock at Spring Cottage P. 0., (James Ford's), 

 possess a sandy soil, somewhat resembling that of the Tallahala ridges 

 (1[647, ff.), but here timbered with tall, graceful Willow Oaks, mixed with some 

 Spanish (" Red") Black, and (true) Red Oaks, and Hickory. The soil is fertile 

 hut does not last long ; it forms a very narrow belt along the Pine Hills of the 

 interior, in which near this point the Short-leaf Pine (P. rigida), is seen for the 

 last time, as we approach the coast. 



South of Spring Cottage P. O., the Long-leaf Pine descends into the river 

 hommock, and the uplands, though sometimes still interspersed with patches of 

 loam soil, gradually approach in character the Pine Hills of the Bay St. Louia 

 (H866). About four miles north of Habolochitto bridge, there is a sudden 

 descent, which at once brings us into the Pine flat of the eoast (1874, flf.). 



781. We now return to East Simpson county (1755). The soil of Okatoma 

 Bottom, east of Old Hickory P. 0., is light gray or white, powdery, with a sub- 

 soil still lighter, yet possessing a fine bottom growth. Its hommock, also, has 

 & very light soil, but containing more vegetable matter, and quite productive. 



Smith county, south of the line of the Vicksburg Group, as given on the 

 map, is likewise entirely of the Pine Hill character. The country dividing the 

 streams bears the character of plateaus or table-lands rather than of ridges, is 

 aot, on the whole, very hilly ; but the soil is inferior, and cultivation confined 

 chiefly to the bottoms, hommocks, and lower hillsides; though occasionally we 

 find here, also, patches of Short-leaf Pine on the ridges, denoting a better soil — 

 as is also the case where the Black Jack appears in force amid the Long leaf 

 Pine. 



782. The soil specimens, of which analyses are given below, were taken on 

 the level Pine lands dividing the Okatoma from Okahay, in the N. % of T. 10, 

 B. 16 W., Smith county., and were selected with the special object of obtaining a 

 feir average sample of soil and subsoil of these uplands. 



No. 206. Pine Hill Soil, from N. % T. 10, R. 16 W., Smith county. 



Depth: Five inches. 



Vegetation : Chiefly Long-leaf Pine ; some scattered Post Oak, Black Jack, 

 and small Hickory. 



An ashy soil, of a pale buff tint. The soil, saturated with moisture at 67.6 

 deg. Fahr., lost 2.484 per cent, of moisture at 400 deg. Fahr.; dried at which 

 temperature, it consisted of : 



Insoluble Matter (as above) 93.257 



Potash 0.259 



Soda 0.065 



Lime 0.129 



Magnesia 0.180 



Brown Oxide of Manganese 0.146 



Peroxide of Iron 1.251 



Alumina 2.i^56 



Phosphoric Acid 030 



Sulphuric Acid 0.024 



Organic Matter and Water 2.330 



100.497 



