INDIANA   FARMER.
VOL   II.] Dc-.'otcl to Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanics and tho Useful Arts.
W. i. Dciiiim,     ) i-"i(or». )
[MO. 6.
iUutUUW.
IND., NOVEMBER 15, 1Ej2.      (,loI,°,var V;"^
P UEMIUH    ESS A Y .
The following Essay was furnished the State
Board of Armeulture at the late Indiana State
we find the lower Silurian, familiarly known by
the name of "Blue limestone." In Jefferson,
Jennings, Decatur, parts of Ripley, Scott, and
j Clarke, we find tho upper Silurian, which is a
Fair, by Pro.cssor Ik Lawrence, and for which j paje or jrab colored limestone, known some-
lie   received  the premium  of %'iS.     We com-   times by tho name of "cliff rock,*'which is ve-
inend it to the attention of our readers who
reside on the hilly lands of Indiana, or elsewhere.
Eijay en Hcnderins Useful the Hilly Lands of
tho State.
Indiana, in genera!, is not a hilly State; on
thc contrary, it contains an unusual proportion
of level, or nearly level land. Yet some portions of its territory are broken by ravines, and
are even quite hilly; and it is to these portions
that this essay wilt be devoted, with a view to
show to what kind of tillage or other use they
can be put, that the most judicious and profitable use may bo made of them, both in respect
to present and future economy.
It is well known to men of information, that
all countries derive their character, both as to
-soil and scenery, from geological causes. It
will be proper, therefore, as a basis on which to
found our future remarks, first to give some account of the geolo-y of the State; or in other
words, of the geological causes which have
contributed to make it what it is.
ry expressive of the scenery it produces. In
Floyd, Scott, Jackson, Brown, and parts ofsev-
eral adjoining counties, we have tho Devonian
system, which consists of two distinct forma*
tions:—a black slate, or shale, which seldom
forms hills, and a fine grained sandstone, sometimes called mud rock, which forms a band of
extremely hilly country, familiarly known by
tho name of "knobs." West of this lies tho
Carboniferous system, consisting of one great
limestone formation, and a succession of thick
beds of sandstone, alternating with" beds of
shale and coal. The former is found mostly in
Harrison, Washington, Jackson, Lawrence,
Putnam, and parts of several other counties.
The latter occupies the remaining portion of
the State to the Southwest.
Now as all soils result mainly from the disintegration of rocks, it is easy to see that their
nature on the hill sides of these several formations, must vary in their composition, as tho
rocks vary from which they havo been deriver".
Consequently they must differ, and differ greatly too, in their productive powers, and especially in respect to tho kind of product to which
they are best adapted.    And  he who owns hi.'-
One of the most conspicuous features of this
kind, and one which strikes the attention with! ly lands, and does not inform himself in this
the greatest force in this State, is thc great a-! matter, and govern himself accordingly, will
mount of "drift or foreign material, in tho form be certain to experience frequent disappoint-
of "boulders," "pebbles," "gravel," and "sand," ments, with the loss of much labor and capital.
which is spread over more than half of its Some hills consist of the same kind of rock
whole territory, covering up, and hiding from i from base to summit, while others will contain
our view, tho great rock formations on which it j one kind in the lower part, and a vciy different
rests. This "drift" stretches over nearly all, one in tho upper. Such hills will contain two
that portion of the State which lies north of! kinds of soil, which will require a correspond-
the National Road, and in some places in the! ing difference in their treatment, and the uses
eastern part, it extends twenty or thirty miles' to which they are applied. This will call out
south of it. It is from fifty to a hundred feet the discriminating powers of their owners, if
thick in the northern part, and gradually be- they have any, and show whether they mean to
comes thinei- towards tho south, until it ceases act the part of wise men, in conforming their
altogether. The remaining or southern portion practice to tho varied conditions of nature, or
of the State, consisting of about one third of to persist in the practice of attempting to force
its whole territory, contains nearly all the hil- nature to comply with their antiquated wishes
ly land in it, and, consequently, is that portion   and habits.
to which our attention will be chiefly directed.! Suppose the base of a hill to be limestone,
Except thc "drift," tlr; ecological formations ! and thc top saiid stone or shale, and thc wholo
of the Slate belong to the Silurian, (upper and ! to be planted in corn, what will be thc result ?
lower) tho Devonian, and the Carboniferous' Simply this. As far up as the limestone soil
systems. They all "dip" to the west; and hence,: extends, the stalks will be thick and strong,
the oldest formations an: found in the eastern,' and the ears large; while those on the sandy or
and the newer, ov carboniferous, in tho western shaly soil, will be spindling, and tho cars small.
parts of the Stale. 'I hey are distributed as fol- Rut sometimes the limestone will be upper-
lows; '. most, and one of thc other kinds at the bot-
In Switzerland. Dearborn, Franklin, Union,' torn. Then the more robust corn will be seen
Payette, Wayne, and p:ut of Eiplcv   counties,' at the top, and that which is more feeble below.