592 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



appears in the north-western corner of Ross county. The Ohio Canal, in 

 passing down the Scioto valley, follows the belt of the black slate, and is 

 too far removed from the limestone on the west and the Waverly sand- 

 stone on the east to be available as a means of transportation. 



The underlying rock strata in the county are too deeply buried to 

 exert any fertilizing effect upon the surface soils. The soil derives its 

 peculiar fertility from the calcareous nature of the Drift materials, and 

 from the rich alluvial deposits which border the streams. Such soil is 

 alone a noble endowment for the county. Coals and ores must in any 

 locality be exhausted in time, but the soil of Pickaway, with proper till- 

 age, will be a perpetual source of prosperity and wealth. 



GEOLOGY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY. 



This county is bounded on the north by Licking county, on the east by 

 Perry and Hocking, south by Hocking, and west by Pickaway. 



It is noted for the general fertility of its soil rather than for any im- 

 portant minerals. 



SURFACE FEATURES. 



The county is situated so as to include on the north a portion of the 

 level country characteristic of the central part of the State, and on the 

 south a portion of the hill region of south-eastern Ohio. The northern 

 part of the county is smooth and beautiful, while farther south, along 

 the Hocking and some of its tributaries, we find rugged hills and dizzy 

 cliffs. Many of the valleys among these hills are broad and very attract- 

 ive, not only for their fertility, but as gems of landscape beauty. 



The northern townships, Walnut, Liberty, and Violet, are drained by 

 Little Walnut Creek, which empties into the Scioto in Pickawy county. 

 Such portions of. Bloom, Amanda, and Clear Creek townships as lie upon 

 the western ■ slope of the divide between the Hocking and Scioto rivers, 

 are also drained by streams flowing into the Scioto. The Hocking River 

 is at Lancaster an inconsiderable stream, formed by the drainage of 

 Greenfield township, to which are added, near the city, the waters of 

 Fetters, Baldwin, and Pleasant runs, which rise in Pleasant township. 

 Richland and Rush Creek townships are drained by Rush Creek. At 

 Bremen the latter is joined by the East Branch of Rush Creek, which 

 flows westward through the central part of Perry county. Rush Creek 

 empties into the Hocking River at Sugar Grove, in the southern part of 

 Berne township. Clear Creek, which rises in Amanda township, flows 

 through the north-east corner of Clear Creek township, and through 



