new, but very quickly destroyed by careless cultivation, such as has been practised ever since the first settlement of the country, leaving bare the clay, upon which scarcely any vegetable can

grow.

The most productive lands, and those which are longest in being exhausted by the slovenly cultivation aforesaid, are those called here "river low grounds," where the surface to a varying depth, sometimes more than ten feet, is composed of vegetable matter intimately mixed with the washings from the hills. This hand is always highest immediately at the edge of the stream, and gradually becomes lower, until it reaches the foot of the hills, where there is often standing water.

A large proportion of the cultivated land in this part of the State, is in what is called "the Flat-woods," being table land on a small scale, at a distance from the larger streams, having a stiff clayey soil, not very pervious to water, and, therefore, in a wet season liable to be soaked, and sometimes overflowed, the watershed not always being very obvious.

The forest growth is oaks of several species, hickory, chestnut, black walnut, pine, beech, maple, dogwood, button wood, here called sycamore, crab-apple, &c., in the order of frequency here indicated.

The northern part of this division contains most of the rich. mines of gold, copper, &c., with mineral springs in various places; but the springs and wells in general furnish very pure "freestone"

water.

The temperature varies much in the different parts of this division; along the southern boundary line the summer days, in dry weather, are oppressively hot, with little wind, while the nights are cool and pleasant. Thunder squalls are frequent, stirring up the atmosphere, bringing down the cold air from above, while the rain washes the dust from the vegetation, refreshing everything.

In the winter the thermometer, seldom below zero, is very variable; light snows are common, sometimes lying in the woods two or three weeks.

Approaching the mountain region, the summer heat is mitigated and the cold of winter is increased, and the temperature is more governed by the course of the winds, snow lying on the mountains till late in the spring.

The third division comprehends the limestone region of Upper Georgia.

For information from this region, I am indebted to Dr. Robert C. Word, formerly of Cassville, now of Rome. "There is no material difference," says Dr. Word, "in the geological features of the several counties. There is in each the same succession of broad valleys of rich fertile land, separated by intervening ridges, from one to several miles across, of various degrees of elevation, rising, in some instances, to the magnitude of mountains, originally covered by a dense forest, now rapidly disappearing. These valleys are well watered by streams fed by large springs, which gush up from beneath the substratum of limestone underlying the surface at various depths, throughout their whole extent.

"The rains of winter and spring fill the stratum of earth above the limestone with moisture, and give rise to innumerable temporary fountains (called wet weather springs) at the base and on the sides of the hills, and all over the valleys. These all flow into the permanent streams, and occasion a great disproportion in the height of their waters between wet and dry seasons.

"The stratum of limestone, and in many places one of alumina above it, presents a great obstacle to the absorption or ready penetration of the superabundant water deeply into the earth, and consequently there is excessive humidity of the surface, and in many places large pools of water, or shallow lakes of considerable extent, during the months of January, February, and March. The three succeeding months are generally delightful in temperature. genial warmth of the vernal sun quickly evaporates the excess of moisture-the dreariness of winter is dispelled, and its fathomless abyss of cohesive mud forgotten in the contemplation of the gorgeous scene displayed with magical celerity by the luxuriant vegetation.

The

"The summers are by no means so depressing as upon the seaboard, or in the middle portion of the State. The thermometer occasionally, in the hottest part of the day, rises as high as 90° or 92° of Fahrenheit, but the nights are cool and refreshing.

"The same geological formation which favors the accumulation. of water near the surface of the earth in winter explains also the remarkable absence of it during the months of August, September, and October, when, in dry seasons, the ground is parched and cracked in many places, the atmosphere filled with dust, vegetation languishing, and, where the stratum of earth is thin, totally destroyed; the temporary springs, branches, and lakes all dried up, many of the wells exhausted, and the water in the permanent

streams, reduced to its minimum, creeps sluggishly through the accumulated piles of drift-wood, which partially block up the channels through which it flows.

"The highest heat of summer is of short duration, and the temperature of the entire autumn is delightful.

"The two principal streams in this section of Georgia are the Oostenaula and the Etowah, which, meeting at Rome, in Floyd County, form the Coosa, a stream navigable for steamboats many miles into the State of Alabama.

"These rivers drain nearly the whole of the fifth congressional district, and are of great size, but not different in their circumstances from their smaller tributaries, though much of the alluvial land upon their banks, subject to inundation, is still covered with primeval forest.

"Throughout all the limestone region numerous sinks and depressions are observable on the earth's surface. Many contain water during the winter, but become dry on the approach of warm weather. Others are permanently filled with clear pure water. Subterranean caves are also numerous, especially in the counties of Cass, Walker, and Dade.

"The great alternations of moisture and temperature, so common to our winters, are probably due to the character of the prevailing winds, which are exceedingly variable, not unfrequently shifting their position to all the points of the compass in a period of less than twenty-four hours, each change in direction being attended with a corresponding change of temperature. The southeast winds, blowing from the Atlantic coast during the greater part of fall and winter, are attended with frequent rains, cold and penetrating in their effects upon the system. East winds are attended with cold drifting rains, and frequently with sleet; south winds with copious showers, not quite so cold; southwest winds with frequent showers, rather warm. As the wind approaches the west, the rain ceases, though the clouds continue until it reaches a point north of west, when the weather becomes fair and cool. Due north winds are very cold, though not usually of long continuance. Northeast winds are not common, and when they do occur, are apt to bring with them snow. In the spring, we have rains and passing showers from the west and southwest. In the summer, we have showers mostly from the west and northwest.

"Situated and forming the dividing line between the grain-growing sections of Tennessee and the cotton region of Georgia, the

limestone counties of Cherokee, Georgia, are not wholly unsuited to the production of either. Though best adapted to the growth of grain, grasses, and stock, the more southern counties have been found to produce abundant crops of cotton. The soil on the creek and river bottoms is rich with alluvial deposit. In many places, both in the valleys and more elevated country, the soil is strongly impregnated with iron, constituting the 'red' or 'chocolate' land, exceedingly fertile, but 'thirsty."

DISEASES, &c.-The diseases of the eastern part of the first division or tertiary formation of Georgia are thus treated of by Dr. P. M. Kollock, of Savannah, beginning with the Sea Islands:

"The inhabitants enjoy a very great immunity from the diseases of the opposite main. And such as have few or no brackish ponds or lagoons, are more healthy than such as contain a greater number.

"In very wet seasons, the different forms of miasmatic and bilious fevers prevail to a considerable extent, but they are exempt from every species of malignant and fatal epidemics. I have never known cholera asphyxia to occur on any of the outer islands. In winter, sporadic cases of pneumonia are occasionally met with, together with ordinary catarrhal and pleuritic affections.

"The main opposite the Sea Islands is decidedly sickly, and infested by the various forms of miasmatic disease.

"In winter and spring, epidemic pneumonia, of typhoid type, is not unfrequent, particularly on the rivers and swamps. In summer and fall, the various forms of bilious fever, sometimes congestive, and occasionally exhibiting typhoid symptoms, prevail.

"Passing further inland to the region of sand-hills and long-leaf pines, the inhabitants enjoy a very large share of health, and when the possessors of the comforts of life, as regards shelter, food, and raiment, exhibit an embonpoint, a ruddiness of complexion, and contented, happy expression of countenance, seldom surpassed in any climate. As a general rule, they are strangers to epidemics of all kinds.

"In winter and spring, cases of pneumonia are met with, and in summer, particularly in seasons prolific of fruit, there may be dysentery; it is rare for severe cases of fever to occur in this section.

"The winter of 1852 was the coldest that has been known for many years in this district. Two snow storms occurred at Savannah, but very little rain. There was no great amount of disease—

a few cases of pneumonia occurred in my own practice-and I observed a very strong tendency to the formation of whitlows, resulting from slight injuries to the hands.

"Towards August, cases of fever began to multiply in the city of Savannah and its vicinity, and between that period and the month of November, very few of the laboring population escaped.

'During the month of August, some cases of yellow fever, accompanied with blackish discharges from the stomach, were reported; the number increased as the season advanced. The greatest number occurred as the season advanced to the month of October, when it proved fatal in almost every instance."

The yellow fever was but little known until after the war of 1812. It was not until the winter of 1816 that foreign shipping began to resort to Savannah, and the next summer the harbor was crowded; no care was taken to time the arrivals to the healthy months, and the seamen were strangers entirely unacclimated.

In the month of August, the yellow fever first broke out. It was confined to the seamen, and continued until the shipping departed; there were not many cases. During the following year, 1818, there were few arrivals, and all had left port before the summer had fairly set in, and there was but little sickness.

In the year 1819 many ships arrived, bringing a great many strangers, totally unused to the climate and unacquainted with the diseases to which they were exposed. Early in the autumn, the yellow fever commenced its ravages, and in less than a month the whole number of passengers who had been brought by one ship had fallen victims; the disease continued until cold weather, and was confined entirely to strangers.

In the beginning of the year 1820 a great part of the city was burned down, and the population was consequently crowded into the narrow limits left by the fire. The ruins were for the most part left in a state of total neglect, and many of the uncovered sinks and vaults remained open, exposed to the weather until they were filled up by the sand washed into them by the rain, which was more than usually copious in the latter part of the season. The excavations made for the foundations of new buildings were highly offensive, particularly during the night.

In the latter part of the summer, the yellow fever began, and increased to a frightful extent, but its ravages were still mostly among the unacclimated, few natives or old residents dying. The disease continued until late in the winter.

VOL. X.--10