W_t_ for ihe Jnillaua Farm.r. ^-*<vL____*_   '
A Course of Chemistry and Q___y for
tbe Practical  Farmer.
B. WaJlt-r Kl.  llrv, N. I)., !____■ In   C-pml*-
try, ".*»* York Fretiarau-rjr M _!_1 Coll _■**.
THK   tt*_OI_UV    OF   INDIANA.—t-NTIN-K_
An investment in Indiana land usually
means, aa regard- tlie kind and quality of
the earth's crust *u-quired as shown by the
following section, except where the coal
measures and Devonian are mi&aing in the
southeast, or the coal measures only wasting in the middle and north.
AVKKAO BISECTION  IN INDIANA.
_ll  1 I _ 3 I<-. I.
I__. ru.triial au<t<-l_cial (
Drift uf 111.    .al.mary     - *KMUi l'*l f«_.
with lay t-r_ f Hay       )
IV_1 rft.a_r.».  ..- _.- ■.._  fe_
*. ul,-<*ar _tiifentu_- .  - - _-*» tert,
Devonian    -_.*» t*-el.
Silurian ...     l,(   . tret.
ql* ATKRNARY   FORMATIONS.
The most prominent feature in the geology of Indiana ls the existence of
the groat layer of transported material
brought by glacial faction or due to lake
deposits ln comparatively recent periods,
extending however over thousands ot centuries. This material owes its valuo as
subsoil to the fact tbat it is so <_np_lte,
including debris from all the early strata.
- "It contains the elements of all ages,"
says l'rof. Collet, "spread as a broad alluvial plain along tbe ancient glacial bed.
Being deep it holds like a sponge the excess of winter aud spring moisture to alleviate the excessive drouth .of summer.
Posey county has shown 180 bushels of
oorn to the acre, while Vermillion county
comes to tbe front with <>l78 bushels of
whoat and IIO bushels of oat-* to the acre.
Kuch crops are the legitimate and natural
r.ults ot a superior soil and its mineral
constituents."
The mass of post-tertiary deposit that
overlies the State Is-wedge-shaped In _
far as It is very thin in the south and becomes gradually thicker up to the border
of Michigan. The usual "reading" of the
sections of wells shows various layers of
yellow but especially blue clay with thinner layers of sand or gravel Intervening.
It is denied {hat theso are stratifiod In the
same strict sense that tbe rock formations
below are stratified.
At a period subsequent to the tertiary
era the climate of the planet underwent
a great change. Its surfaco became loaded
with glaciers, and ice formed from half
melted snow possessed the locomotive
energy which tourists in the Alps who
have witnessed the grinding action of the
glacier stream rolling along tbe rounded
boulders that are caught in the gigantic
vise ^between glacier and mountain wall,
can vividly realize.
The occurrence of boulders, chiefly of
gniess from the metaniorphic rocks of
Canada with scratching, on their surfaces,
furnishes direct evidence ofthe process
which produced the accumulations of the
boulder drift in which they are found.
The action of  the glacier,  resembling
that of a snow plow is well understood by
most who  have  considered  the subject.
IU  nose or  forward and  lateral  edges
would undermine all  the  "elevations It
comes in contact with and  transport   the
material, depositing  it and  forming mo-
rainee," wherever  the  glacier undergoes
melting and dissolution.   The aluminous
ingredients of all the more primitive rocks,
granite and others, would yleldto the gigantic forces that  then  churned  the earth's
members with the flow of great  Hoods of
the epoch, and the result would be the deposits of clay.   These  have yielded, on
analysis, in the  majority of instances, a
go;dly percentage of Ume, and here is the
alt important deduction for the agricultural student.   Whatever may  have  been
the rocks that underwent dissolution and
whatever the precise process of the glacial
period, it bad the eflect of  intermingling
the elements of the diflerentstratilications
and this is, as we  have seen,  the chief
need from the point of view of agriculture.
All soils are benefited by admixture, and
no unmixed stratum iseapableof realUing
all the conditions necessary to fertility.
As regards the tjuateraary deposits, fertility is the universal rule, whether land be
ou the yellow clay or boulder clay or gravel of this drift formation, for the reason
that each represents admixture of chemical elements.
Returning to tbe geological phenomenon
observable in Indiana, be it stated that
while the Ohio and tbe rivers of the South
cut their way through the ancient Silurian
or Devonian formations, the sections that
the rivers of tbe North exhibit include
only tbe questionable stratilications of the
glacial drift. The researches of Profs.
Corby and Miller seem to have satisfactorily established that an elevated range extended, prior to the glacial period, across
the north of the state, having been upheaved at the end of tbe Silurian era.
tilacial action leveled this range of hills
or, mountains, and this consequently
would be the Silurian mateiUl that was
spread over the State in the (Quaternary
age. < Hber formations give their contributions and the boulder*, found ail over
tho State can l>e referred to various
Northern regions from Uike Su-ierlor to
Niagara.
TIIK DIAl. MI_SU__
Those formations occur over an area of
7,000 square j-i-Uiw Along the southeast, including the counties of Warrick, Spencer,
1 __y, Vanderburgh, west of Perry, Crawford and Owen, Oibson, l'iko, Dubois,
Knox, Clay, Davloss, Martin, Sullivan,
(Jreene, Vlgo,'Parko, Vorinilllon, Fountain
and Warren.
What is called Conglomerate Kaud-rock
Identified by quart- pebbles iinl-edilod in
it, is tho lowest of tho strata ot this era
usually, but In Indiana seams of coal occur lieneath it. Kach coal seam lias bituminous shale abovo and a -stratum of lire clay
below. Between somo 11 of theso .earns
aro sodimentary layers of limestone, sandstone and shale.
THK    KUll-CAUUONH-KROV*.    OR     MOUNTAIN-
LI MEHTONE
formations come next bolow the coal, and
comprise the Chester sandstone, the Ht.
Louis limestones, the Keokuk rocks and
tbe Knobstono taking them ln order from
abovo down.
The t'lic.stcr formation
Includes sandstone, shale,  and Kaskaskia
limestone. " ,
The >_, IiOttis rocks
include layers of limestone between great
beds of clay and shale. They furnish the
celebrated Oolitic limestone called tbe best
buildtngstone in the world. It is quarried
in Lawrence, Owen, Crawford, Harrison
and Washington counties. It can easily
bo sawn in the quarry but it becomes
harder and of a light color from a creamy
brown on exposure. Its hardness will
sustain a pressure of 12,000 pounds to the
square inch. Ot all building materials it
is least liable to decay.
The Keokuk foriiintions
are chiefly limestone, while tho
Knohstoneiif fiulianei
is wholly composed of sandstone and
shale. The sub-carboniferous formations
occur ln a narrow strip running from the
Ohio river to Newton county, next to the
region of the surface Devonian. Knob-
stone rocks first, and the Keokuk, St.
Louisand Chester parallel to the lirst, and
more to the west. In Harrison county
thoy may be said to form a chief factor in
the fertility or non-fertility of the soil because the quaternary deposits are generally wanting. Prof. Collet reports of this
county that 00 years of agriculture have
largely exhausted it, and that only the
richest hollows that aro annually overflowed, realize something of their original
fertility.
THK DEVONIAN 1 -HM ATlONS.
The Devonian rocks are near the surface
In Clark, Scott, Je_Ter_nK Jennings, Bartholomew, Johnson, Shelby, Hush, Hancock, Marion, Henry, Hamilton, t'linton,
Tipton, Howard, Carroll, Cass and Wabash
counties. Though often covered by a
great depth of drift the Devonian are the
highest stratified rocks over one-third of
Indiana. Tbe chief rocks in Indiana of
this formation are the coniferous limestone aud the black shales. The Devonian
region in Indiana, Is a narrow strip reaching to Clark county on the Ohio, but
widening out to the wholo width of the
state, except the nortli east corner, in the
north, Devonian limestone rocks are
often i-e_.gulr.ed by the distinct manner
in which the lines of stratification cause
the solid layers of rock to stand out, an
appearance very di Keren t from that peculiar lo slate and shale.
Si 1.1.'Hi AN  1 X.RMATIONS.
Ihe 1/nver Silurian is on tho surface
along the southern two-thirds of tho Kastern border. The Hudson river rocks are
their chief feature, here known as tbe Cin-
cinnati because the Ohio river bus so well
exposed them near that city. Tlio l'p*.r
Silurian with its Niagara rocks appear on
aline west of the Lower Sjlurian rocks.
Tho slatosthat occur in the 1/iwer Silurian,
called Cambrian in Kurope, aro represented by wiiat is merely shale.
Taking now tlio various formations in
tho Inverso order wo will present Mich observations of the geologist as possess most
interest for the practical farmer.
Mf.l'HIAN   .   >11MATKINf.
In tlie I'pper Silurian especially may it
be obaervetl lhat when limestones come to
the surfaco and mingle with still' clays
good crops aro got from the soil. In Indiana tho poore _ soils are where shales and
argillo sllicoousrocks preponderate. Owen
Rays again: "Tho nicks lhat are rich in
limo and phosphates from organic remains
are more permanently fertile than black
earth and some Silurian rocks iu Indiana
exemplify this.
Chance Rcnvtrks on »*__     iSilttritin f'tntuticx.
l,OWKR.
Wayno.   This is a great gnu Ing county,
mixture of drift with   Silurian   limestone
gives great results.   This   is tho  observation ot a geologist 10 years  ago.   A moro
recent observer is struck  with the  fact of
the thickness   of  the  drift   formation in
most or all the  country  110 feet.   It ls an
admirable wheat soil.
Union is less favored.
Fayette has 50 to 00 feet of drift.
Franklin has greatly diversified soils derived from both Upper  and   I_ wer Silurian or wholly from tbe Drift.
Dearborn and Switzerland. Strong
loamy soils rich in lime and warm open
sunny exposure sulta tho vinoyards that
are now M years old in these counties.
Kipley. Not as fertile a. the adjacent
counties.
Siintf    Vpjirr ,V . m'.n   Ibunfics.
Adams and Wells.   Soil fertile but tenacious.
Huntington gets the best from drift and
Upper Silurian.
llandolph. Fine clay soil about Winchester. In the North the land is too retentive of moisture. '
Henry and Hancock. The clay soil Is
specially good for clover.
Husb. Tbe universal prosperity due to
quaternary modified by Silurian formations.
* Jennings adapted for grazing.
Decatur, strong clays.
Xtnnr Jk-v*,nirin ttiuntiry.
Cass. Threo distinct soils: L* South of
Wabash, rich sandy loam with clay sub-
sol). 2. North of the Wabash, more
sandy. .1. Between tlio Wabash and Kel,
excellent wheat land from .-ul mixturo of
sandy soil with an aluminous gravel.
Shelby,  Tipton and  Hamilton.   In all
tbe modifying influence of quaternary ia
supreme. Tbe rich Bandy loam of Shelby
is continued into Bartholomew.
.Sttli-t\tfl*nnil'enntti f 'hantetrristics.
High pasturage is the chief feature on
_ >ils derived from tbe sub-carboniferous
rocks, they suit the small grains fairly
well as they do all the grasses. Too much
cannot be expected.
Crawford oounty. Close cold soil; that
of the west easily exhausted.
Floyd and Clarke counties. In these
counties the old formation** chiefly de- .
termine the nature of the soil rather than
tlie quaternary. But various formations
meet here. In one section tho westher-
ing of the Cincinnati rocks of tbe Silurian
gives unexhau stlble fertility. About
Jell'erson ville lilack_.ii-.l- borders on limestone with good result-*. When the Drift
comos in tbey get the best wheat.
I-awrence. A good deal of land is uncultivated where the drift ceases on the
hills.
' *_/ .ilcuKtirt-H,
Tho disintegration of the sandstones of
the coal measure** is seldom so associated
as ti) (*ivo good soil. When limestone
occuis and in the bottoms ono go Ui fair
and even superior land.
Knox county. Hero wo havo rich
quaternary deposits in somo parts on coal
measures. Thero aro numerous alluvial
bottoms of gieat fertility. Upland soils
aro thinner and requiro careful cultivation.
Wh<>ro si)gartre_,-poplars, wa__ and
ash originally grew blue grass will flourish. Alfalfa is recommended for resisting
tho huh, this 1-elug fcouth of tho usual
grazing region of this State.
<*ib_n county. The soils aro very
various, as they are apt to l_ on tho coal
measures. In the we. t of tho county
thero aro many rich bottoms. The north
and center too, aro very fertile. Southeastern loss so. But the "sand barrens,"
worthless for other crops, grow melons
and sweet i>otatoes well.
' 'tmntirs tin the Drift,
It has already been stated that in counties of northern Indiana the drift and
quaternary deposits is so thick lhat the
underlying strata may be disregarded.
Those counties are Steuben, La Orange
Klkhart, St. Joseph, La Porte, Lake, Do
Kalb, Noblo, Kosciuski, Marshall, Porter,
Jasper, Newton, Allen, Whltely, Fulton,
Pulaski, Warren, Whito and Benton.
Kvery where with unimportant exceptions
the fertility is remarkable. A few typical
and noteworthy features aro subjoined.
Klkhart Co. Tbe strong clay soil of tho
woodland, the sandy loam of the "openings," and the black peaty loam of the
prairies, are all very fertile. Peaty flats
drained by ditchos are so remarkably prolific a. to abundantly cover the unusual
ou tlay.
Warren Co, A great thickness of alluvium and 1-oulder drift gives an area ot
prairie that needs no manure. Blue grass
is indigenous. The deep oozy loam requires draining sometimes.
LaPorto Co. Sandy accumulations liko
those of tho remarkable "Hoosier Slides"
near Michigan City and some extremely
heavy clays aro unproductive. Prairies of
the south havo tho fertile sandy loam.
A case of death from hydrophobia occurred In Peru on the __th tho victim being Kmma Beail. The girl was bitten about
10 days ago, by a supposed mad dog, and,
as usual ln such cases, the dog waa Immediately killed. The wound healed up,
and nothing more was thought about 1
until Monday afternoon, when the child
at school, evinced symptoms of illness,
and was sent home. Her condition grew
worse Monday* night, and, beginning
Tuesday and lasting through the night up
to deatli, she suflcred violent and terrible
convulsion-.. The dog was a pet family
favorite.
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