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•■I MI. <’ \ < ’ < -»11' IJI >u||.
AMitcnnntAU hevort.	[Ti831,	83-5
•,	and	is	ron-idcml	as	an	indication
II '' an'm o 'U|ii''i| liv the " -!k ]1 hoinmOcks” on the coast of Mi--i--ippi. i~ «ni the wli-<!<• i,!!!!*'. limited. ( ’sually, the “ sand !rm■!; ■ r.ihi" n|> lo the 1	lunninir	a	>nndv	bank	from	ten
i" lu'-niy 11• t	)ii2f 11. whh'h fill!- oil’ rather	nbrubtly towards the
v.ip'i "- >•< 1 cr<It	i~ only in a few places (as for instance, at the
< '••'•an >j*i i'i: ! i!l»mi -ix^milos we t of Shicldshoro wharf. v-ir 1 of 1 1 ■ ii1 ■ ’»' 11(• iV'idi'iii-^T! (.jiaT vcllou lu iek clay or loam' "'	in	ink~~i	_r<•!i■ -i’a?ly. i- T^qin posed <jI ^rav	sands of various
i	■ •-	"i' | ii i r 11	'I'i'.vii	in	low 11 Ji'-u a ter.
i-	r:n: M	It	ha* 1 ■«-r-it mentioned,	that	tlie “ hotn-
•'	• ■ vt■ nd	inland	in	liaii-nu- strips or baud.'.	These are
■ - .ally ifiiui	^	i.j	mile in w it 11,11, and are	separated from one
umitiior In -111ni 1	n;ar.-hes formed by short	watcr-cotsrses which
unpty immediately into tho sea. There are. in faet, few watercourses. large or -mn 11, which do not form a marsh at their mouth, <».i	the	-lioro	of Mississippi	Sound.' The Pascagoula, Tshula,
('ahawl'a. I)ilo\i. Wolf. .lonrdan and Pearl, form very extensive :.iai -it—. tli*-' reel-jrmrition of which, for agricultural purposes, would ;vld .!;-id'-raMy to tlie -mil total of arable lands along the waste. The -mull mar'lies jti't referred to. ( which form the natural boun-iiiari'-. it were. between adjoining lots, usually occupied, each ioi;e. i.y a le-ijeueei uUovd a good opportunity of studying the • ••••	eia!	kinds	of marsh soil.	They diller. however, from the
i	-	'»f tlie	lar«,er -'ream-,	in that their soil, of whatever kind,
y- :ilwax	- very	sandy: while	in the larger marshes, such as those
■T Wolf and I’earl rivers, we generally find near to the main 'trc'am. qdie a heavy soil. Tho cause of this difference is easily pridahed. The short ?{rcat;;let.> have their origin in the Sand h"!i::>inck- and (Jallbcrry Flats, a short distance inland, and in the whole of their course, find nothing but sand to carry with them: v.\,i!e ;> larger streams, as we shali see hereafter, have to a great i.: their	channels	in	strata	of 'tiff gray clays, which under-
•perlieial	sands ;	and	a	natural consequence, their dclta-
'nii-t bo of heaver :.atu:'c.
. kiiKls el' marshes :i111■ i-t ^cr.eraHy distinguished on the coast, diiuUv 1. • th. istliuj: rush" (-lonecuupaui of the o.	-tern, with fuliiiiil.il'ly sharp, saw-
•■■	■	•••.-.nis lo hold in awe. The IUmnd
!„ti! •--. soft. pithy rush, with a round
ii	ii-iiitilji liud thi'Marsh Miluwceu -;•.••■'.■« , f .\rrnwhO"d ( N "/ i■'•<;'/•'
■ ■:•• ivntlv stunted bushes tif the I'r.v
■ii
i:. i . i 1 ‘. rrv	......is'jtlilc
l h •" ih'M. >: i./,.;	.	.	:■! Maj.’o, I'daok • * tun. fit1., are some-
ittv:-' i •'' ■'! t1'.- - m i ’•'■ im t- . «j.irialii lltn-o u!' ilu-t'uiting 11tish.' j	In t'1.	imi'li.s i.: th ! in v .-ii.	! i. ;.	i. il i< elte'.Hii'.ie< ca-v U> push down a
\nie in	*	■ ■ t! -1 a 11 * ■ ■ i>: e.'it	!•■ :• i	'•■ i	!■•!••«' tile ~ i • v !':>■■■. 'i'he soil is, in diet,
i	- tie i: i	- .::i •inn	11:11•• ii mas' of 1 d.-i. k. letid murk, which
.	•;■: I'n iK■••:'	''■•■iiiiit -	ihi	.:. h the ”; i '•- of thieKly malle t roots
*i83G, 837. 838)
SK.rC'OAST MAK8IIF.S.
375
wlich cover its .surface to the depth of twelve to ti?htcen inches so that in taking a specimen at that depth, we obtain little else than the “grass roots ’, with a little muck adhering to them.
s:.0. The Kound-rush Marsh seems to differ from the other mainly in containing a large amount of sand, which renders the soil (juite firm and safe
lo	walk on. Whenever any considerable amount of sand is introduced into the Cutting-rush Marsh, tho* scdge-grass disappears, and the Kound-rush takes possession of the ground. Of this I have seen numerous examples, but perhaps the most striKing in the case of a small marsh at Mr. Alfred Lewis’ residence, West l’ascagoula. In order to test the agricultural value of the marsh soil, Mr. 1/civis had a portion of a 11 Joifc coupant '’-marsh thrown up, so as to mingle the muck with tho rtinderly ing sandy soil. The experiment, as will be seen hereafter, was unsuccessful for the time being ; but although the soil was left free to itself, no more of tho Cutting-rush lias sincc made its appearance ; .while the Jiound-rusli is now rapidly taking possession of the spot. Itappears, therefore, that by the intermixture of sand or sandy soil-with the lluid muck, we can convert one kind of marsh into the olhA
In tho large Kivcr marshes, the two kinds of soil alternate in patches ; mid there occurs, besides, n third kind, for tlie reclamation of which there cun he iittle hope. It consists of sand, nearly white, impregnated with sea-salt, and bears a growth of Samphire (Stilicnniin) and similar plants. Such soils arc notoriously hopeless, in an agricultural point of view.
Ni7. J3oth kinds of soil, when freshly stirred lip with the spade, emit a powerful and very offensive odor : chiefly of sulphuret of ammonium, with an admixture of other odors resulting from the decay of vegetable matter, which nowise improve the quality of the scent. A silver coin, immersed in the marsh, is blackcncd by the
sulphur in the course of a lew minutes.
t he great prevalence of these marshes, and the profusion in which this noxious mixture is evolved wherever the soil is stirred, render it a matter of suprise to the visitor, that the health of the coast region is generally excellent. We can scarcely believe, that residences situated in the very edge of the great Pearl River Marsh, surrounded by it on three sides, anti overrun, at the proper season, with legions of mosquitoes of all colors and sizes, thould, nevei lliekss, be as healthy, or even healthier, than the much praised “ Piny hills " of upper Mississippi ; yet such is indisputably the case. It has been suggested that the daily flow of salt water over these marshy plains is the cause of the phenomenon just referred to; and this explanation will suit well enough in the portions contiguous to the shore. But at the mouths of rivers, the tidewater which overflows the marsh, during a large part of the year, is scarcely lnackish, and tho upper portions, which are equally healthy, receive only the back water of tIn* river itself. While, therefore, it is quite likely that the rise and fall of the tides is in causal connection with the healthiness of the marshes, the rlteet can hardly be nsoril'od to the antiseptic properties of thesalt water ; rather, perhaps, to the daily ablutions of the surface which are performed by the ebb and tiow of ihe w.i'er.
('■ .:.>;».wj7/o?i, and Reclamation <■!'	—lint 1 wo
analyses of .Marsh Soils have as yet been completed : l.e-ddc.- which, a partial analysis of Marsh .Murk has been made. The specimen? analyzed were selected with reference to obtaining fair samples of the two extremes of soil occurring in the marshes, vi/. : 1st. The sandy soil of the smaller marshes, and of those portions of the large river marshes which lie at a distance from the main channel ; and t2d. the heavier soil which is generally found near to the main channel of the larger water courses.