FAYETTE COUNTY. 145 



The Syntrilasma limestone on Ramsey creek has been very exten 

 sively used on the railroad, and also in bridge abutments on the 

 National road. Part of it seems to stand the weather well, but a good 

 deal has been cracked by frost. The lower bed under that containing 

 Syntrilasma, has the appearance of being a very durable stone, but I am 

 not aware that it has been used. 



The bnff limestone, on Beck's creek near its mouth, would probably 

 make a very good lime. 



In sec. 10, T. 5 N., E. 2 E., there is a quarry of hard brownish-gray 

 sandstone, rather irregular in its character, changing color on exposure. 

 It has been used in some bridge abutments on the National road, but 

 has not proved durable. 



At Win. Yokes', north of the National road, nine miles east of Van- 

 dalia, there is a good sandstone quarry. The rock is thin bedded, tol- 

 erably hard, but works freely and is of even thickness. On Dismal 

 creek, near Laclede, there is a five foot bed of burf limestone, which 

 makes a tolerably good building rock and good lime. 



Road Material. — At Vandalia there are very extensive beds of sand 

 and rounded gravel, very suitable for road beds and much used for bal. 

 lasting on the railroad. Several lumps of native copper have been 

 found in this county; one a half pound and another 10 ounces in 

 weight. 



Soil and Agriculture. — The Kaskaskia bottoms embrace a large area 

 of, as yet, untitled lands, being subject to annual overflows, which has 

 heretofore been a drawback to their cultivation, bat there certainly will 

 be a time when these lands will be sources of great wealth. The prai- 

 ries in the southern and south-east parts of the county probably contain 

 the best upland ; the other prairies have generally a thin soil, similar to 

 that on the post oak flats but probably richer. Much of the timbered 

 land is poor, but there are occasionally very rich spots of elm and 

 cherry land, for example, on the Yandalia and Carlyle road. 



The best uplands will produce 40 to 50 bushels of corn per acre ; 

 other lands 25 to 30. 



A good average of wheat is 20 bushels per acre, the timbered land 

 producing the best crops. 



Eecently the bugs have been quite destructive to the potato crop ; but 

 generally, with proper culture, very fine crops can be raised. I would 

 suppose that on the broken ridges fine vineyards could be made, but 

 none have yet been started. 



Wells and Springs. — There are some very good springs in this county, 

 generally originating in the drift sands, and are sometimes a pleasant 

 chalybeate. 



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