188 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



Northwest of the above, on West Fork above the ford, I found many 

 tumbled blocks of limestone sticking out of the bank, at a regular eleva- 

 tion above the water in the creek. They are somewhat surrounded by 

 a local drift, but apparently about their proper place. Down the river 

 a few miles, in Shelby county, this limestone (No. 2 of general section) 

 crops out in regular layers 4 feet thick. I regard the above named Coal 

 Measure rocks as equivalent to those seen on Limestone creek in Effing- 

 ham county. I would therefore say that a shaft would have to be sank 

 about 330 feet at Sullivan in order to reach coal No. 15, or probably 

 850 feet to reach coal No. 7. 



Springs and wells. — There are but few springs in this county. On the 

 south-east and north east portions of the county water is generally 

 obtained at a depth of from 15 to 22 feet. Some wells on the prairies 

 north of Bethany are but 13 feet deep. In digging, blue clay is generally 

 passed through, and water found in the beds of sand. A well at the 

 mill near Sullivan was dug SO feet deep, with no water; six rods from 

 it one was dug 30 feet deep, and water procured. 



Soil. — We have here the prairie soil and the soil of the timbered land, 

 each differing from the other, both in appearance and in relative fer- 

 tility. The prairie soil is very nearly of the same character everywhere, 

 is very black, and generally 1 J feet or more in depth. Around Sullivan, 

 although it has been cultivated for many years, it does not seem to be 

 impoverished, but still retains great fertility, producing annually 40 to 

 50 bushels of corn per acre, and often reaching 75 — never less than 20 ; 

 wheat 15 to 30, often 30 to 35 ; and barley 46 bushels per acre. 



Near Whitley's creek there is a very narrow strip of probably less 

 than a quarter of a mile in width extending along the stream for four 

 miles from its mouth, with a growth mainly of white oak, black oak, 

 and hickory, and sometimes sugar tree. Near the prairie this gives 

 place to a richer land, with crab-apple, thorn, plum, etc.; further up 

 stream the soil becomes still richer, with hackberry, elm, walnut, honey 

 locust, laurel-oak, ash, bur-oak, and sometimes chestnut oak. This 

 soil is very productive, yielding, according to Mr. Smizer, a general 

 average of 50 bushels of corn per acre, and as high as S3, with 33 of 

 wheat. 



Around Bethany the growth is very similar, but the soil is generally 

 of a lighter color, contaiuiug a few pebbles; the growth is honey locust, 

 elm, hackberry, hazel, laurel oak, hickory, linden, grape vines, cornus, 

 cherry, coral berry, mulbery, and a surface covered with grass and 

 pennyroyal. 



Between this and Sullivan the growth is somewhat different, consist- 

 ing of black oak, hazel, hickory, sassafras, and occasionally bur-oak, 

 walnut and cornus. This land is very well adapted to the growth of 



