SALINE COUNTY. 183 
ferred to above. In the river bottoms also, especially along Saline 
River, the immediate surface soil includes here and there "buckshot'' 
clays, which furnish rather poor pottery clays. 
CLAYS ABOUT BENTON. 
The clay pits opened in the vicinity of Benton have aided a compre- 
hension of both the general and detailed structure of this part of the 
State. These pits are all in T. 2 S., R. 15 W. The sections which 
they represent are here given in detail, beginning with the Hicks pit in 
theNE. £NE. J sec. 12. 
HICKS CLAY BANK. 
The Hicks clay bank, formerly known as " the old Leach bank, " was 
the first clay deposit opened in the neighborhood of Benton, and for 
several years was the only source of supply for pottery clays at that 
place. Early in 1889 the old pit was reopened by Mr. J. Howe, and the 
clay was mixed with clay from other pits for use in his pottery. It is 
not used by itself in any of the potteries. 
Section at the Hicks pit. 
Feet. 
Sandy soil, capped with novae ulite gravel 2 
Sandy clay, with scattered pebbles; particolored and more sandy 
below 7 
Dral > potter's clay 20* 
The bottom of this clay had not been reached by the operations in 
progress at the time it was visited. The clay at different points of the 
pit varies in the amount of sand it contains. It is pinkish brown when 
first dug, but as it dries becomes light gray with a faint pink tinge. It 
has a slightly sweetish taste. It is wanting in body and will not burn 
to a solid stoneware. Only the Albany slip-black glaze can be used 
with it, all attempts hitherto made at salt glazing having resulted in 
failure owing to the inability of the ware to bear a sufficiently high 
heat. When subjected to a white heat it cracks and breaks in the 
kiln, and the pieces escaping destruction in this way are liable to air 
check in cooling. It may be very profitably manufactured into open 
ware, however, such as pots, churns, crocks, and milk pans, or into any 
article in which the liquid contents are not allowed to stand long. 
Unglazed ware made from this clay is very porous, and when glazed 
ware made of it cracks or chips so as to expose the body of the vessel it 
is found to be very absorbent, so that it can not be employed for ware 
that is to be used to hold liquids for any great length of time. 
THE RHODENBAUGH CLAY BANK. 
The Rhodenbaugh bank is in the SW. | NE. i sec. 12, T. 2 S., 
R. 15 W., about one-fourth mile south of the Hicks pit. A depression 
between this and the Hicks bank is fdled with waterworn gravel. 
