68 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The uplands comprise the northwestern two-fifths of the State and belong to the 
Ozark Mountain region. The higliest point of this area is a little less than 3,000 feet 
above sea level, while its average elevation is between one-third and one-half that 
amount. The surface is much broken, the rocks belonging chiefly to the Upper and 
Lower Carboniferous systems, a small portion to the Silurian. The remainder of the 
surface of Arkansas is either low and rolling or consists of low, flat alluvial lands, the 
former being mainly of Tertiary or Cretaceous origin, the latter Quaternary. The 
general dij) of the rocks north of the Arkansas Eiver is south. The outcrop in the 
northern portion of the State, as far east as Batesville, consists of a cherty limestone, 
with occasional jmekets of light-colored sandstone which crumbles readily when 
exposed to the air. This formation also covers a large jiart of southern Missouri, and 
in it are formed nearly all of the prominent caves for which the contiguous ijarts of 
these two States are noted. In disintegrating, this limestone leaves many small 
angular pieces of Hint lying on the surface or embedded in the soil. Much of the rain- 
fall is quickly absorbed bjMhe porous material thus formed, only to reappear again in 
the many large and beautiful springs so characteristic of this entire region. Mam- 
moth Spring, in northern Arkansas, is the largest spring in the Mississippi Valley. 
Roaring River is a large sjuing, about 8 miles east of Seligmau, Mo., and at present 
with 16 feet of head, about one-half of the water supplied is sufficieut to drive two 
turbine wheels of 16 and 24 horse-power, resi)ectively. A spring nearly as large as 
the last occurs about 5 miles east of Lowell, Ark., and there are other large springs 
near Siwingdale and Rogers. Johnson Spring, 5 miles north of rayettevibe, dis- 
charges about 2,500,000 gallons of water every 24 hours, and many others similar to 
the above will be found in different places. 
A few of these springs are now utilized for fish-cultural purj)oses entirely by 
private individuals, except at Neosho, the site of the U. S. Fish Commission hatchery, 
which has yielded results far exceeding expectations. The Mammoth Spring hatchery 
has been very successful. The trout i^laced in the spring ponds near the waterworks 
at Rogers by the Government have done very well. Mr. Stultz, who has been raising 
carp near Springdale during the past four years, has found the business profitable, 
and proposes soon to stock some of his ponds with rainbow trout. As his facilities for 
this purpose are very superior, we are confident of his success. One of the springs 
near Johnson has been successfully used for rearing carp to a slight extent, but much 
larger ponds have been constructed there during the imstyear, and they will soon be 
stocked. Mr. Davidson and Mr. Williams, of Fayetteville, are also utilizing ponds sup- 
plied by springs for fish-culture on a small scale. There seems to be no reason why 
this branch of industry should not be greatly extended, and many small areas not 
suited for other i)urposes could be utilized in this way. 
The drainage of Arkansas is entirely toward the Mississipioi River, and may be 
subdivided into six smaller basins, namely, the St. Francis, White, Arkansas, Bayou, 
Ouachita, and Red River. 
The St. Francis River has its origin in southeastern Missouri and drains only a 
small part of northeastern Arkansas, which, with the exception of Crowley’s Ridge, is 
very swampy. It is a broad, deep, and slow-flowing stream, having no very important 
affluents in Arkansas. Its basin has never been visited by ichthyologists, but the iact 
that it comprises the sunken lands would make its study very interesting. 
