The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-09-02
FROM THE ABBEvII LIZ BANNER.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GEOGNOsY OF AB-
BEVILLE DISTRICT.
NUMBER L
CANT GEoL. SURVEY So. Ca,
August, 1859.

CANT GEoL. SURVEY So. Ca,
August, 1859.
Mr.. EDIroR ABnEvILLE BANNER:
In entering AbbevilIe again take the liberty
of offering you brief communication on the
Savannah half of your District, which I was
prevented from laying before you, while exnm-
ining that section. partly on account of want of
leisure, partly OH account Of i'll health.
The gnciss (strntiicd granitc) which covers q
large portion Of western Abbevile is, near
Lowndcsvl!e, overnd by micaslate Using glass
slate, as 1t is frequently locally called.)-
More generally however it supports the talcose
state, which we sec at Dorn's mine, and again
north Of Willington, and farther north cross
ing the country south Of Lowndesvile. This
talcose rock passes Into quartzitic rock, be-
longing to the itucoiumitic seriesn and the
greasy feel gives place TO II sandy texture. par
ticularly well marked as point west of CAL
very well defined spccniar schist. even occurs
This is that extremely rare rock. which is
qunrried as an iron ore on the Silver Mountains
in York District.
These arc the strntifi ed rocks Of the region :;
but, interesting us some Of these are, q greater
economic Importance in certain respects at
tachcs here to the unsirntificd rocks. l refer
more particularly to the 1'orphyrics Of the "fat
woods" zone Of eruption Of these and sim
liar rocks traverses our State and is again pnr-
ticularly we'll developed in Chester and south
crn York, where their soil is known by the
nnme of "black-jack lands" In Union the re-
gior of such rocks arc termed "meadow
woods" All three names orc alike character.
istic. They are very generally distinguished
by fiat damp country, aud this danpness, not
poverty Of the soil, us Mr.. Tuomcy has al
ready observed, hns. during the present cycle
III the natural rotation of crops. particularly
favored the growth of the black jack (Qucrcms
fcrrmyinea Of Michaux)
The soils of these porphyries are tho most
calcarious soils Of which we are possessed-fnr
more go than the soils of the Limestone regions
of our State. for the latter rock being very
hard and comparatively indissoluble, is incapa-
BILE of imrnrting TO the soils as large proper
tion of lime as can the less calcifcrous but
more soluble porplvries,H AS very safe and
clear proof of this fact tits but necessary to
compare the per centage Of linIein the water
Of Chester c. H., and in that of the Limestone
Springs The former rises in the porphyroid
rock alluded to- the latter in the eolid lime
stone. Yet in the latter the taste of lime is
scarcely perceptIble, while the longest habit
can scarcely nccustoIn us to the aLominable
taste Of the former.
II is probably owing to the large proportion
of lime in the soils Of these locks that the diff
ferent cycles Of the natural growth are more
speedily brought to close and that the sue.
cessions md changes are more rapid and con-
sequently more readily discerned for while in
the soils Of other rocks these rotations dTe- so
gradual that generations may pass by during
the interval of change, here one generation
may discern the rise, rule and decay of an en-
tire forestcrop unaided by the e1pediting hand
of man. beg to refer you to Reports and
III for the character Of these changes The in.
fiuence OF the lime in this matter would be
twofold-frst in forcing the growth ITSELF
second in hastening the decay Of dead vegata-
tion. and thus both making room for new
growth and enriching the soil for its benefit
The study Of the indigenous vegetation is of
course of the highest Importance to the scien-
tific agriculturist, nd no doubt also lesson
may thus be learnt from the above. Nature
seems to have pointed out the fact that rapid
rotations of artificial crops would be very ad-
vantngeous in such soils. have elsewhere
already expressed the conviction that gradu-
al but thorough systcm Of subsoil ploughng
would he extremely beneficial, the more es-
.peeially so. as the large percentage of lime in
gthe underlying tough ripe.clny would material
4iy improve the soil above, was shewn by
The excavations on the Kings Mountain Rail-
road.
Forgrasses the soils of these strappean rocks
are particularly adapted-hence the success of
small grain culture. No doubt such portiofs
of the State might be converted into the most
choice pastures. and the rapid rise in the value
of horses and mules may lead to this applica-
tion. -
have seen 20 portion Of the State in which
the character and the metaphorphic influences
of these rocks may he better studied than
around Calhounts Mill, and in the other body
which stretches up the Savannah and Rocky
Rivers, while the exceedingly kind and cour-
teous assistance which I there met with largely
augmented the natural facilities. But this is
scarcely the place TO enter upon tho discussion
of asutject of tirs kind, interesting and ispor.
tant though it he.
Ver5 Respectfully. +r'
-. -E pa, OSCAR N, LEIBER. -:
State ee0logist s. G. :
sit is impossible to give o full explanation, Of
thpaa nett rnura Dhfe forms n fSpr