366 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [1T808, 809, 810 



yellow or gray clay, which evidently originates in the underlying 

 clay strata of the tertiary (H245, ff ). 



Of these, I found an outcrop containing some indication of Lignite, on a hillside 

 at M. McCaun's place ; and its presence in these generally is indicated by 

 numerous mineral springs, of a chalybeate, magnesian character, which come to 

 the surface at some elevation, usually about half-way up the hillsides. While 

 the hilltops bear the usual growth of Long-leaf Pine, with only an occasional 

 Black Jack and Post Oak, vigorous specimens of the two last named are 

 frequently seen on the slopes, and in the hollows and branch bottoms there 

 appears a growth of Sweet Gum, "Poplar", Cucumber-tree, and Hickory, 

 indicating a soil very different irom that of the hills, and mainly derived, no 

 doubt from the tertiary strata. These bottoms are quite fertile, but the bodies 

 of such land are very small. 



808. The description just given applies to the country bordering 

 on the river hommock, east and north-east of Cross Roads P. O., 

 or Fairley's Ferry. As we leave the hills, approaching the river, 

 we find at first, rather a sandy soil (with Gallberry, etc.), in which 

 the Pines invariably show a disposition to grow lank and thin j 

 nearer the river, a gray, clay subsoil gradually approaches the 

 surface, in many places the Gallberry becomes scarce, the timber 

 indicates a better soil, and merges into a kind of bottom growth. 

 Such is the case on the plantation of Mr. John Davis (Cross Roads 

 P. 0., S. 12, T. 2, R. 8 W.>, which borders on the river bottom. 



8U9. There is a very striking difference between the soil of the 

 bottom proper, which is subject to overflow, and that of the second 

 bottom. The former is very stiff and heavy, and no less so is its 

 subsoil, a stiff, gray day. Its timber is prevalently of Chestnut 

 White Oak, Sweet Gum, Spanish (•' R(d ,r ) Oak and Magnolia, with 

 a good deal of Holly, and some Bottom White Pine (P. mitis). 



The oaks are very large, and the characteristic habit of the Spanish ("Red") 

 Oak, which it assumes when growing in bottoms, can be studied here to advan- 

 tage. — This soil, Mr. Davis informs me, is a fair specimen of the first bottom 

 soil of the Pascagoula generally ; it is very productive in favorable seasons, but 

 like all heavy soils, it is unsafe, and particularly so in consequence of being sub- 

 ject to overflow The great difficulty of working this soil in unfavorable seasons, 

 and the frequent drowning out of the crops by overflow, have induced most of 

 the settlers of this neighborhood to abandon its cultivation, and restrict them- 

 selves to the second bottom, which is not subject to overflow, and is also very 

 productive. This hommock is the very opposite of the first bottom soil — very 

 light, soil dark colored, about ten inches deep ; underlaid by a subsoil of pale 

 yellow sand. It is elevated four to six feet above the first bottom, the soil of 

 which it evidently overlies ; its timber is the common White Oak, Bottom White 

 Pine, Magnolia, Water Oak, Chinquapin, with some very large Black Sumach 

 {Rhus typhinu); also some Holly and Iron-wood. 



810. None of these soils has as yet been analyzed; but there can be no 

 doubt that the first bottom soil is very rich, and well worthy of reclamation by 

 levying ; especially as the bottom is nearly three miles in width. 



Mr. Davis speaks well of the effect of applying some of the heavy subsoil clay 

 of the bottom to the sandy land which forms the transition from the second 

 bottom soil to the poorer portion of the hommock. These effects have been 

 owing chiefly, no doubt, to the action of the clay as a mechanical manure, in 

 improving the physical condition of the sandy soil ; but while it may be doubt- 

 ful whether the hauling of the bottom clay for this purpose would pay the 

 planter, there can be no doubt that wherever a heavy subsoil is near enough to 



