DARKE COUNTY. 517 
seen in the last census, which gives Darke county more miles of good 
pike than any other county in the State. 
The ungainly bowlders everywhere present on the surface, though seem- 
ingly an obstruction to good farming, perform many useful functions 
in the economy of the county. The county being entirely destitute of - 
native building stone, their utility can scarcely be estimated in the con- 
struction of foundations and other rough masonry. They can be worked 
with measurable facility, and can not be excelled for hardness and dura- 
bility. Mr. Bierley has just constructed a large new ‘‘monitor” kiln of 
them, and he finds them much superior to limestone for that purpos 
These bowlders are likewise very serviceable for building mill-dams, cel- 
lars, abutments, and the like, but above all in their decomposition re-sup- 
ply the soil with many of the necessary minerals that are constantly 
being extracted by exhaustive growths of vegetation. 
Lime, too, in considerable quantities is produced within the county. 
In fact, the Guelph limestone here is fit for nothing else but the produc- 
duction of lime, and in this it stands without arival. Bierley & Son are 
most extensively engaged in the busmess. Other kilns are owned and 
operated by Dr. Gard, of Greenville, and by Roesser and Hershey, Adams 
township. The easy market which this article finds, will undoubtedly 
induce many others to engage before long. * 
The surface clay before spoken of affords excellent fenitien for brick 
and tile manufactories, and a number of them already exist in different 
parts of the county, a good quality of red brick and tile always being pro- 
duced. Ciay for pottery purposes is not soabundant. An extensive bed 
of red clay is reported in the northern part of the county, but of what 
value or quality I am unable to say. 
The water supply of the county is both good and sufficient, the best 
quality of well-water being obtained from beneath the sand and gravel 
deposits upon the surface of the blue clay. This probably includes a 
range of from 30 to 50 feet of depth. Many exceilent springs are scat- 
tered over the county. Along the water-shed, however, they are mostly 
sulphurous, and the well-water of that region is almost unfit for use. In 
the south-western part of the county, near Weaver’s Station, New Madi- 
son, and that region of kames, occur many springs which have their 
origin upon the surface of the magnesian limestone constituting the 
* Under the directions of your focal geologist, Mr. Dickey made another experiment 
with the limestone on his place near Weaver’s Station, and the result was as surmised 
in this repert. The lime will compare with the best. He has already begun work on a 
kiln. 
