Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1841-05-13

blue clay, and when thrown out by the spade,
crumbles little, but still adhercs in masses.
This stratum is l3 inchesthick along the whole
line Of both bitches, and contains substance OF
dirty white color, resembling in shape ur,d size
Jerusalem artichokes, the largest mass never
exceeded the aize Of hens egg, and the small
est not larger than mustard seed. These con-
cretions are so hard Us to require pounding to
reduce them to powder; but when well pound.
ed become as fine as flour. / observed that
when struck with the pestle, they separated IN
layers, or Thin peelings, if may be alowedihe
expression, and that the inside was OF bluelsli
color.
Ianalyzed number Of the concretions, (ac.
cordins 10 your directions in VOL lst. and iouna
them to contain 60per cent. Of the carbonate oil
lime. then took the spade full Of the earth,
without selection, as it was dug up, containing
ofcourse many of the larger and smaller con-
cretons, and carefully picked out all the con-
cretions larger than pea. then dned and re-
duced to powder about one pound OF this earth,
from which took 100 grains which yielded az
per cent, of carbonate of lime. afterwards
cot the aid Of q gentleman who. from bis know
ledge of chemistry, is fully capable of accurate
examination, and tho result he obtained cores
ponded TO mine within fraction. The growth
of timber on the land is birch, poplar, ash, ma
pie, and some gum. 1t may be necessary. to
state that the high lands. adjoining the low
grounds, were originally productive chocolate or
mulatto lands. and hard 10 wear out, or they
certainly would have been completely exhaust
ed ere this.
can make no use Of the substance for the
improvement of my land; for in order to ma
nure an acre of upland, should be forced 10
destroy the fifth or sixth Of an acre cfland, worth
fifty dollars. 1t is therefore useless to ME unless
I Gun discover a thicker deposite; and II ls re.
spectlng the probabilities on this point that l
request the aid of your knowledge.
1t may be proper to add, that on sinking
pit below the stratum of mari, say to the depth
OF feet, we came to sand completely saturat'
ated with water, and the spade sunk almost by
its own weight, two feet or more. The con-
cretions of mari have no appearance OF shcus
or of the impressions Of shells. Excuse the
length of this commute alton, which is at your
service to burn or print.
The facts stated above are 10 us mostly of no.
vel character, aud highly interesting. The
stratum, as described above, is certainly very
rich, and, we infer, nigh. be used for manure
lust as when duglip, without tho labor of sep.
arating and pounding the Jumps. However,
so far as the larger Jumps might be easily sepa-
ra,ad, it might be advantageous and economical
to do SO, for the purpose OF burning them TO
ouick lime. ether i;Sr cement, or to reduce them
M yery hardy more quickly for manure. than
mere exposure would. The concretons. from
the description, seem to be llkc these found IN
Prince Edward county, Virginia, and in Lou
doun, the first body Of which was described IN
the first volume Of the Farmers Register, ant
the latter in the eighth volume; but the whole
deposite of the South Carolina body is much
richer than those in Virginia.
We differ much from Mr.. Haskell, as to the
difficulties and objections to the use
of bis mari. Instead of admitting that the mari
furnished bya certain space would manure only
FIVE or six times as much surface, we suppose
acres. For dressing of quarter Of an inch
heavy, and at that rate, the l3 inches thickness
Of the stratum would serve to coYer 25 acres of
land as the space dug from. Again, we see no
reason why the space thus dug up, and the two
upper strata mixed together, in the digging, |
should be ruined, or even much injured, blythe |
operation, unless by lowering the surface too |
much, and thereby increasing the danger Of in.
undation by freshets. The mere mixture ofsoil
and subsoil, especially when the mari itself
would be more or less disseminated throughout
the mass, we are sure would shll leave good |
and improving soil. Besidesby proper courae
Of procedure in digging, and without much
additional labor, the original rich surface soil
might easily be kept principally on the top, al.
Ter removal. And, provided the land could
be kept as dry as before, we think it probable
that the ground thus dug up and shifted, would
oe even u more productive soil than before
Ed. Far. Reg.