ECONOMICAL GEOLOCIV. 
203 
About Tarboro marl is of common occurrence. In a field of W. S. Bat- 
tle, one mile north of the town, a bed of gray shelly marl is found within 
a few feet of the surface. The bed is 8 feet thick, with 4 feet of bluish, 
stratified clay overlying it. At the Panola farm, (in the upper part), a 
bed of red marl appears at the foot of a cliff overlooking the river. At 
Bell’s Bridge on the river, and again at Dr. Baker’s farm, 34 and 4 miles 
north of Tarboro, a light gray sandy marl of fair quality appears. South- 
ward also, it is equally abundant, as at Cromwell’s, 3 miles from Tarboro, 
where it is very common in the farm ditches, and is full of shells. 
Much benefit has been derived from the use of marl in this county, which 
is the pioneer in this improvement. The large farmers about Tarboro 
commenced the use of it a generation ago, and their success led to its gen- 
eral use in the county and the neighboring counties. Pitt and Greene 
have fallen in with the practice more extensively than any other. Mr. 
Elias Carr, in the lower end of the county, has used marl for a long time 
and with most evident beneficial results, although the bed from which he 
generally procures his material contains, (according to an analysis of a 
sample I obtained from his heaps), but 5.57 per cent of lime. Another 
bed less used gave 10.37. But this last, if properly opened, would no 
doubt prove much richer than on the surface. 
Blue Claris of Greene and Pitt. 
52 
53 
54 
Silica, Insoluble, 
49.66 
44.14 
3S.S6 
“ Soluble, 
Oxide of Iron and Alumina, 
4.99 
7. OS 
5.43 
Lime, 
20.25 
20.2S 
27.32 
Magnesia, 
0.37 
2.77 
0.93 
Potash, 
0.37 
0.60 
0.43 
Soda, 
0.34 
0.05 
0.20 
Phosphoric Acid, 
2.02 
1.72 
Sulphuric Acid, 
2.02 
1.91 
1.41 
Carbonic Acid, , 
11.72 
16.06 
20.12 
Organic Matter and Water, ... .... 
6.48 
5.09 
3.5S 
Marl is abundant about Greenville, Pitt county. It appears in the 
river bluff at and below the bridge, and on Col. Yellowley’s farm, one 
mile distant, a large amount has been used. A sample from this gentle- 
man’s pits gave the analysis No. 52. It is notable as containing an extra- 
ordinary percentage of phosphoric acid, and it is otherwise more than an 
