Mississippi is occupied wholly by deposits of the Tertiary and Upper Secondary formations, which, sweeping around from the southern Atlantic States, attain here their greatest width. Near the Gulf of Mexico the sands and clays of the largest periods are spread over the country, and further north the deposits gradually become of greater age. At Vicksburg the Eocene appears at the base of the river bluffs and the upper portion of these is covered by a deep deposit of yellowish loam or loess, containing fresh-water and land shells. This extends over the country east ward and attains a thickness of 60 feet or more. The Upper Secondary appears near Jackson and occupies the northern portion of the State. Fossil remains of a gigantic marine animal, resembling the alligator, are found in the prai rie regions.
Flora and There are over 100 species of trees in the State, including 15 varie ties of oak. There are cypress, poplar, long leaved pine, tupelo, sycamore, persimmon, mag nolia, holly, cucumber tree, sweet-gum, black walnut and various species of hickory, elm and maple. Wild animals, such as the deer, puma, wolf, bear and wild-cat, are still occasionally seen. Alligators occur in the Mississippi River as far north as the mouth of the Arkansas, mid in some of the smaller rivers; and most of the streams abound in fish. Paroquets are seen as far north as Natchez and wild turkeys are still somewhat common.
Forestry.- There are about 32,000 square miles of timbered land in the State. The yel low pine ranks first among the forest trees, and extends northward from the coast for 150 miles. The hills or bluffs along the Mississippi Delta extend to the prairie lands on the east ward and affords numerous forests of oak, gum, poplar, tulip, ash, maple and hickory, and a few pine trees. The prairies of the southern part are covered with the long-leaved pine. Only within recent years has the timber prod uct been important. Nearly all the timber cut consists of yellow pine and oak and other hard woods. Turpentine, resin and other naval stores are no small portion of the product from the timber belt.
Agriculture.- The fertility of the soil and a Lvorsble climate give to Mississippi eminent advantages as an agricultural State. Nowhere in the world are there better alluvial lands than the Mississippi bottom or *Delta* contains an alluvial plain in a mild climate, level as the surface of the ocean and of inexhaustible fer tility; and this plain is only a small part of the fertile lands of the State. The table-lands of
the north, the loarns along the bluffs and banks of the Mississippi, the dark and heavy prairie lands of the northeastern section and the in land bottoms are of scarcely less fertility. The prairies, especially in the Tombigbee district, furnish excellent pasturage and, besides the common crops, produce fine alfalfa. Sugar is produced in the southern portion, besides mo lasses, but cotton and cotton-seed form the great staple of practically the entire State. Maize and oats are grown everywhere and wheat of fine quality is sometimes, though not i commonly, produced in the northern parts. All the fruits of temperate climes grow in perfec tion, including berries and melons; plums, peaches and figs are abundant and, in the southern part, oranges and pecans. The farms of Mississippi, according to latest reliable statistics, numbered about 274,382 (average size 67.6 acres), total acreage 18,557,533 acres, of which 9,008,310 acres were improved land, val ued at $426,314,634. Of this, $254,002,289 was value of land, $80,160,000 was value of build ings, $16,905,312 of implements and machinery and $75,247,033 of domestic animals, poultry and bees. Of the farmers, were native born whites, 736 were foreign-born whites, 164,239 were negroes, 248 Indians and 11 Chi nese. Of the whites, 67,040 were owners, 41, 8% were tenants and 719 managers; of the non whites, 25,026 were owners, 139,605 were ten ants and 106 managers.
The principal crops with their acreage, pro duction and value in 1910 were: Corn, 3,232, 000 acres, 66,256,000 bushels, valued at $41,741, 000; wheat, 5,000 acres, 70,000 bushels, valued at $81,000; oats, 175,000 acres, 3,360,000 bushels, rained at $1,848,000; sweet potatoes, 56,045 acres, 4,427,988 bushels, valued at $2,213,944; cotton, 3,400,210 acres, 1,127,156 bales, valued at $47,340,000; cottonseed, 564,000 tons, valued at $6,692,000• hay from cultivated grasses, acres; 128,351 tons, valued! at $1,732,000; cane sugar, 24,861 acres, 222,600 tons, valued at $2,226,000; cane molasses, 2,920,519 gallons, valued at $1,000,000.
The total value of Mississippi crops for 1910 was, including fruits, nuts and vegetables, $147,315,621, with approximately $9,008,310 im proved land in farms. In 1915 the aggregate value of cotton, cotton-seed and cotton-seed products was $82,000,000, and that of grain crops, hay and potatoes was $57,496,000.