The Forrest City times., 1896-10-16
GEOLOGIC ADVANTAGES.
An Eminent Scientist on Southwest
 ern Arkansas.
Says the MarIs. Chalks, and Greensands of That Region Are More Valuable Than All the Gold Dug Within the
 Bounds or California.

of geological science at Leland stan 1 ford University, California, in his lately published report of the geological sur vey of Arkansas. calls marked attention to the mesozoic strata of southwestern Arkansas, and makes some interesting | statements in regard to it.
 For example: Speaking of the marls, chalks and greensands of that region, he pronounces them more valuable than ali the gold dug within the bounds of California"
 The two points he makes are, first, that the chalks, marls and greensands are of eminent value as fertilizers; and second. that the challls and limestones of this district, when mixed with the native clays found in abundance in their immediate neighborhood and vit- rified by the same process as those used at Medway, England form cement identical with that well-known and standard product, Portland cement, of which and of kindred European ce- ments we imported in 1892 over 1,000,- 900 casks.
 He also states that the high grades of Portland cement imported are all made from chalk. as the lime constitu- ent, and shows by tables of analysis that the clays and chalks of this dis trict are in chemical values and relative percentages almost identical with those used in the manufacture of the English cement.
 For instance, in his analysis of chalks he gives that found at White Cliffs Landing, Little River county, as com pared with that used in the manufac ture of Portland cement at Medway, England, as follows:
 White Cliffs Landing, carbonate of lime, sS.30; silica, 756: oxide of iron, 1.26; aluminium, los. Medway. Eng land, carbonate of lime. sS 5s; silica, 5. 45; oxide of iron, 1.05; aluminium, 2.S2.
 Near Rocky Comfort, in Little River county, there are about 20 square miles of chalk formation and another outcrop at White Cliffs, on Little River, and the clays of which the analysis is given above are in the immediate neighbor- hood. and in inexhaustible quantities.
 These facts indicate that Little River county, Hampstead county and the southern part of Howard county would be good places to locate factories for making Portland cement" for here are found the best quality of materials in profusion, and lying upon the very top of the ground, so they can be exca- vated cheaply.
 But there is incalculably greater values in those measures of the mesozoic strata which can be used as fertilizers, such as the marls and greensands of Clark and ad jacent counties, the chalks of Little River. and the gypsum, or nd-plaster deposits of Sevier. Howard and Pike counties.
 Speaking of the horticultural value of some of the marls and greensands (as found in place as the geologic term is), Professor Branner says: The sandy surface residuary soils of these marls" (between Philadelphia, Clark county, and Columbus, Hampstead county) ''are no doubt the finest soils possible for fruit trees, and especially valuable for growing peaches. In this connection It is valuable to note that they present the same geologic horizon as the cele- brated peach growing regions of New Jersey"
 But the chief value of these chalks. gypsums and calcareous marls is in their use as fertilizers, by application to soils deficient in the chemical properties they so richly possess. There are areas in this state as there are corresponding districts in almost all of the states, that .aVa h.. needs phosphates, nitrates. potash or lime: some chemical property necessary to the building up of plant life, is lack ing, so that while 1t is true that Arkan- sas has hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile lands, she has many thousands upon which the judicious use of these natural fertilizers would pay large re- turns upon the cost, as similar applica- tions have done upon similar unfertile lands in New Jersey and in France and England.
 Besides these virgin soils, we have thousands of old fields," abandoned farms, turned out to grow up in sedge grass and briers. all of which could at once be reclaimed. and their fertility brought up even beyond that of their original condition by the application of these cheap and plentiful natural fer tilizers.
 Upon these points the remarks of Pro- lessor Cook, state geologist of New Jer- sey, are noteworthy He says, speak ing of the New Jersey marls ''The mari has been of incalculable value to the country in which it is found It has raised it from the lowest stage of agricultural exhaustion to high state of improvement. Lands which in the old style of cultivation, had to lie fal- low, by the use of mari, produce heavy crops of clover, and grow rich while resting Thousands of acres of land. which have been worn out and left in common, are now, by the use of this fertilizer, yielding crops of finest oual- ity. Instances are pointed out every where in the mari district. of farms which, in former time would not sun- port family, but are now making their owners rich from their productiveness Barren sands, by the heapplcation of mari are made to grow crops of clover. and hAr Af