Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1852-02-25

the Piscalawa, save The deposite of Ignite
and Copperas ore mentioned as occurring
on the north side of Oxen creek, in Prince
Georges county, and underlying the dilu-
vial"
The Doctors report then describes the
greater portion of the land in the district
as being sin an exhausted condilion," arls-
ing from the system Of husbandry which
had been pursued.
The report, from which the preceding ex-
tracts are taken, proceeds to describe the
geographical features of the country, and it
Is TO be regretted that it was no, more in
detail, or that the scientific reconnaissance
commenced by the Slate had not been pur-
sued and prosecuted to some more practical
and beneficial result, 1t however affords
much light, by the aid of which we may be
guided in our inquiries to the attainment of
valuable information. The repor, proceeds
to describe lis geological features. "The
remaining geological characters oflhe coun--
Try are 10 be sough. for in the nature Of The
fossil deposites in which it abounds. Those
deposiles belong to the Tertiary formation,>
which, By modem Geologis!s, have been di-
vlded into three erochs, determined by the
number and species Of shells they con,ain,>
and, IN reference TO their congeners, known
10 be among the living Inhabitants of the
ocean. Those that belong to what is term
ed the Eoceme period, the oldest Of the Ter
'Iary, embrace great number of genera and
species of shells, the analogous kinds of,
| which are not found by conchologisls a.
mong the present tribes of tertaceous AMI
mals-the deposi,es Of this period having
furnished upwards of one thousand distinct
species of shells, ont Of which very small.
number have been identified with recent
species" The report then describes fos-.
sii(erous deposi,e of this period q, Fort
Washington, the mouth of Piscstawa creek,
and proceeds: "The ravine behind the fort,
displays to view an accumulation of fossil
shells, which has been penetrated to the
depth of forty-6ve feet, and is covered bya
thick stratum of coarse gravel. Deposi,es
of fossil shells, bearing the same character,
may be traced all along the northern side
Of the Piscatawa, extending as far as Upper
Marlborough, on the western branch Of tho
Patuxent."
'The next period in the Tertiary forma-
ation, called .Miocene, from the circumstance
H ssy y ddaRas!ss !sanan,anng greater propo
not so fat been identified in Maryland"
"Superior to this is the old Pliocene Pc
Rod, in which the recent species are COM
psraively abundant, According TO Mr.. Lea
this period finds its equivalent in the fossil
Iferous and selenious deposi,es on the ST.
Mary's, at the mouth Of ST. Inegoes' creek.
For the newer Plocene period, according
to the same authority, we must look to the
deposite a, The mouth of the Potomac, IN
The same county" The opinion expressed
bv Doct. Ducael, that the Miocene forma-
ton had not been identified, and that the
deposi,e a, the mouth of the ST. lnegoes' on
The ST.. Mary's, belongs to The older Pliocene,
was strengthened by, if not derived from, a
similar view taken by Professor Conrad of
Philadelphia. am inclined to think that
Pref. Conrad changed his opinion, and after
wards assigned the las, mentioned deposite,
TO the Miocene formation. To this it would.
seem properly to belong, when assimulated
to the deposl,es in Virginia, which have
been assigned BY Prof. Rogers to the N1o-
Gene period This, however, is but mat
ter Of speculation, and of but little praclicaE
importance. desire not to be tedious and
will give but one more short extract from
Dr. Duca,el's report: "But besides ,hese,"
the report saws, "and anterior to them. n the
opinion of Dr. Morton, there is the Feyru-
ginous sand formation, embracing The green
sand, or green mari Of New Jersey. A
very characteristic deposite Of this period
has been discovered between Port Tobacco
creek and the Wicomico," sc.
shall have occasion hereafter to notice
more particularly those deposiles, and the
effects which their application are, from their
ANALYSIS, likely to have.
or what practical benefit, it may be asked,
are those geological s2eculations and inquir-
les? | answer, that before we can apply
remedy, we must understand the coDs,iu-
ton: that before there can be correct pathelo-
gical treatment, there mus. be accurate ply
siologica acquaintance with the subject; aud
before we can supply that Of which the earth
| is deficient, must know VIA, its curst con-
lalns; and that This is to be learned by ascer-
tanning the geological period Of formation,
lis subsequent changes. aud the ingredients
hich have been stored up a, different Pc
RODS to be used by man to the increase of
the ear,h's productions. Soils which be-
long 10 the same formation, contain the same
character Of ingredients, and ,ha. system
and process which has been successfully
prac,ised elsewhere, in the same region and
upon lands containing similar strata to those
which belong to and distinguish ours, may
reasonably be supposed will prove benef-
cial if similarly applied by us. The char
ac,er of the lands Of This county is as varied
and dssimar as the human countenance;
bnt there are principles Of structure which
designate their component parts, and an ae-