510 GEOLOGY OF NORTHWESTERN TEXAS. 



this county. The entire strata above the coal seam in this county are sand- 

 stones and clays, and are overlaid along the north line of the county by the 

 Wichita Beds of the Permian. 



SOIL: 



The soil of Jack County is made up entirely from the underlying strata, and 

 varies in character according to the various localities. It is all more or less 

 sandy, but in places it is quite black and sticky, like the black waxy lands of 

 Northern Texas. At other places the land is black sandy with a clay subsoil, 

 while at others the soil is light sandy with clay subsoil. All of these soils 

 are fertile, and with proper cultivation produce excellent crops of grain and 

 cotton. There is no county where small farmer could come nearer getting just 

 the size piece of land and character of soil he might desire, and still be sepa- 

 rated from other farms, than in this county. 



The broad valleys along the West Fork of the Trinity River are fertile, 

 but are subject to overflow. The uplands are considered more desirable. 



TIMBER. 



This is another county that is within the " Upper Cross Timbers," and has 

 an abundance of timber for all purposes — post oak and blackjack on the 

 hills, with pecan, elm, hackberry, and wild china in the bottoms, and ash and 

 overcup oak along the river. 



There are no very large prairies, in the county, and all are within easy 

 reach of the timber. 



Persons coming from Eastern Texas or the other States to this county and 

 seeing this timber would think it could not be used for any purpose except 

 fuel, but it can be split into posts or rails almost as easily as cedar. The post 

 oak timber is very durable for posts or railroad ties, for which purposes it is 

 used very extensively. 



WATER. 



Water is sufficient along the river and creeks, and in most places can be 

 had in wells of shallow depth. There are some fine springs in the county, 

 where the massive limestone prevails. At other places they have had to re- 

 sort to building open tanks for stock water and cisterns for domestic pur- 

 poses. No deep wells have been put down to test the possibility of obtaining 

 artesian water, and it is not probable that a supply of good water could be 

 obtained in that way. If wells should be put down and flowing water se- 

 cured, it is more than probable that it would be highly impregnated with 

 salts, as nearly all the deep water is in the Carboniferous formation in Texas. 



