Pas 
OF ARKANSAS. 307 
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Rice’s spring, situated on the waters of Mud creek, a branch of Fourche 
Dumas, on section 14, township 21 north, range 1 west, is a place of much 
resort for invalids from this and the adjoining counties. The following is 
the result of the qualitatrve chemical examination, made at the fountain 
head: 
Temperature of the air 82 deg. F., temperature of the water 62 deg. F. 
Carbonic acid (abundant). 
Bi-carbonate of lime. 
Bi-carbonate of magnesia. 
Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron. 
Sulphates, a trace? 
The examination of this spring was made at a very unfavorable time; 
the unusually heavy rains, which fell in the spring, had completely satu- 
rated the surface of the earth, and diluted the spring with fresh water. 
From the above analysis, it appears to be a weak chalybeate, whereas it 
is represented by those who frequent it in a dry time to be a strong sul- 
phur water. In its present state, acetate of lead would give no reaction 
of sulphuretted hydrogen. 
Small deposits of hydrated brown oxide of iron (limonite) are seen, at 
various places in this county. The most extensive are those near J. H. 
Imboden’s on Eleven Point river, and in the vicinity of Old Jackson, close 
to the boundary line between Randolph and Lawrence counties. It is 
possible a sufficiency of good ore may be found at the latter locality to 
supply a small forge. 
Agriculture. 
East of Black river the soil is principally river deposit; and, where not 
submerged by ordinary freshets, is easily cultivated and remarkably pro- 
ductive. It is well adapted for corn, wheat, oats, and clover. Samples 
of soils were collected in this part of the county, from a farm 18 miles 
from Pocahontas, belonging to Maj. Proudfit. The virgin soil is of alight 
black color, and the sub-soil a yellow clay. The field, in which the soil 
No. 2 was collected, had been in cultivation twenty years, nearly all the 
time in corn, and will now produce with ordinary tillage a crop of 50 or 
70 bushels to the acre. 
West of Black river, the principal soils for cultivation are the rich allu- 
vial lands adjacent to the river. 
The growth of timber on the east side of Black river, with the excep- 
tion of black walnut, is the same as that noted in Greene county. On the 
west side of this river the growth is small oak and hickory, on the hills; 
