592 GEOLOGY OF OHIO: 
appears in the north-western corner of Ross county. The Ohio Canal, in 
passing down the Scioto valley, follows the belt of the black slate, and is 
too far removed from the limestone on the west and the Waverly sand- 
stone on the east to be available as a means of transportation. 
The underlying rock strata in the county are too deeply buried to 
exert any fertilizing effect upon the surface soils. The soil derives its 
peculiar fertility from the calcareous nature of the Drift materials, and 
from the rich alluvial deposits which border the streams. Such soil is 
alone a noble endowment for the county. Coals and ores must in any 
locality be exhausted in time, but the soil of Pickaway, with proper till- 
age, will be a perpetual source of prosperity and wealth. 
' GEOLOGY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY. 
This county is bounded on the north by Licking county, on the east by 
Perry and Hocking, south by Hocking, and west by Pickaway. 
It is noted for the general fertility of its soil rather than for any im- 
portant minerals. 
SURFACE FEATURES. 
The county is situated so as to include on the north a portion of the 
. level country characteristic of the central part of the State, and on the 
south a portion of the hill region of south-eastern Ohio. The northern 
part of the county is smooth and beautiful, while farther south, along 
the Hocking and some of its tributaries, we find rugged hills and dizzy 
cliffs. Many of the valleys among these hills are broad and very attract- 
ive, not only for their fertility, but as gems of landscape beauty. 
The northern townships, Walnut, Liberty, and Violet, are drained by 
Little Walnut Creek, which empties into the Scioto in Pickawy county. 
Such portions of Bloom, Amanda, and Clear Creek townships as lie upon 
the western slope of the divide between the Hocking and Scioto rivers, | 
are also drained by streams flowing into the Scioto. The Hocking River 
is at Lancaster an inconsiderable stream, formed by the drainage of 
Greenfield township, to which are added, near the city, the waters of 
Fetters, Baldwin, and Pleasant runs, which rise in Pleasant township. 
Richland and Rush Creek townships are drained by Rush Creek. At - 
Bremen the latter is joined by the Hast Branch of Rush Creek, which 
flows westward through the central part of Perry county. Rush Creek 
empties into the Hocking River at Sugar Grove, in the southern part of 
Berne township. Clear Creek, which rises in Amanda township, flows 
through the north-east corner of Clear Creek township, and through 
