368 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [1815, 816, 817, 818 



Mississippian, is the association, in these ponds, of the Cypress with the Long- 

 leaf Pine. — The Cypress trees are scarcely better looking, in comparison with 

 their brethren of the river swamp, than the diminutive pines are when compared 

 with their giant brethren on the ridges and hommocks of Perry, Marion and 

 Greene counties. Here, these seemingly incongruous trees aie found side by 

 side, both sadly worsted, it appears, by their mutual concessions. The shallow 

 channels or depressions through wnich the surplus water of these bogs finds an 

 outlet, are skirted, and sometimes entirely overgrown with thickets of the Bay, 

 together with the Carolina Laurel or Bay Galls (Laurus carolivensis) and two 

 or three other species of small trees. The boggy soil of these thickets is 

 covered with peat-moss (^Sfphagnym), several kinds of small rushes (Eriocaulon, 

 Xi/ris) and sedge grasses, and likewise produces some pretty flowers (Pinguicula 

 pumila, Utriculariabiflora, Drosera longifolia, hrevi folia, etc.), but in an agricul- 

 tural point of view, look most unpromising. 



815. An abrupt descent of 15 to 20 feet, brings us down into 

 Black Creek bottom. On the hillside, about 4 feet below the 

 surface of the upland, a deposit of yellow sandy loam crops out ; 

 it is too deep, however, to be reached by the plow for the improve- 

 ment of the uplands, which are very sandy, and said to be extremely 

 poor. The country, however, is so thinly settled, that even this 

 cannot be positively asserted as a geueral rule. 



The bottom soil of Black Creek is extremely sandy, and on the N. side of the 

 stream, at Mr. Bird's Ferry, is scarcely anything more than sterile white sand, 

 in which nothing but the dwarf palmetto (Sabal minimus), and otherplants of 

 similar habits, can sustain themselves. The water of the creek, like that of 

 most streams in this country, is of dark tint. On the S. side, the soil is some- 

 what better, although still very sandy ; it bears a growth of sweet gum and 

 bottom oaks, which do not attain to any large size. This land produces corn 

 pretty well for some years; cotton has never been tried on it ; it is, however, 

 subject to overflow, and when this happens after tillage, a large portion of the 

 soil is often carried off. 



816. The ridge dividing Black Creek from Bed Creek, is of a character simi- 

 lar to that of the uplands N. of Black Creek, save that the pond or " meadow" 

 character is still more pronounced, and the soil still more sandy ; the Dwarf 

 Palmetto and Gallberry form its chief undergrowth, mixed, in marshy places 

 with a singular dwarfish variety of the Bay, which forms low scrubby bushes, 

 much attacked by rust ; in these we find some shoots, not more than a foot 

 high from the ground, bearing a single teiminal flower, and blooming considera- 

 bly in advance of the larger trees of the same species. The dense thickets of 

 sombre foliage formed by the latter, skirting the bogs and their outlets ; the 

 stunted Pines and C} press sparingly scattered over their surface with the rigid 

 bushes of dwarf Palmetto on the higher ground, form a landscape as dreary as 

 it is singular. 



817. The bottom of Red Creek resembles very much that of Black Creek ; 

 its growth being of middle-sized Sweet Gum, Magnolia, and Water Oaks. The 

 soil is very sandy, and not of any considerable depth ; the subsoil is a pale 

 yellow sand. This land is said to produce corn well for five or six years, after 

 which it gives out entirely. In fact, sand forms such a large portion of this soil, 

 that lasting fertility is not to be expected. When once exhausted, it will prob- 

 ably require nothing short of stable manure to make it produce again. Deep 

 plowing ought to be avoided. 



I am not informed, as yet, how far inland the same character of bottoms and 

 uplands continues ; the country being so thinly settled, and in the interior almost 

 destitute of roads. 



818. Red Creek ferry is about 7 miles above the mouth of the creek, on the 

 S. side of which, at this point, we find a wet glade about hall a mile wide, 



