Publications of the Georgia State Department of Agriculture for the year 1885. Part II-commonwealth of Georgia, vol. 11

PUBLICATIONS
GEORGIA STATE
DEPARTMENT OF AGfflLTRDE
FOE THE YEAR 1885
Volume XI
Part IICommonwealth of Georgia
J T HENDERSON Commissioner
ATLANTA GEORGIA
1885
Jas P Hanison Co Printers Atlanta GaTHE
Midi
THE COUNTRY THE PEOPLE
THE PRODUCTIONS
PART ITHE COUNTRY
Prepared Under the Direction of
J T HENDERSON
Commissioner of Agriculture
ATLANTA GEORGIA
Jas P Harrison Co State Printers
1885
248597PREFACE
O
n
The organic law establishing the Department of Agriculture for
the State of Georgia provided for the preparation of a HandBook
of the State That volume was issued by the Department in 1876
and was so eagerly sought for as to exhaust the edition in a short
time and it is now out of print
This demand for a work descriptive of Georgia and her resources
is still pressing and to such an extent as to make the publication
of a new edition of the former HandBook or an enlarged exposi
tion of the Commonwealth in a different form a necessity
The Commissioner of Agriculture has attempted in the present
work to depict by a series of maps and it is hoped in an intelligi
ble and acceptable way the Geology the Agriculture the Temper
ature and Rainfall the Waterpowers the Forestry and the Minerals
of the State and has given a hypsometric map showing the general
elevation of the country These maps have been regarded as most
desirable illustrations of our State and an earnest effort has been
made to have them as accurate and full as possible
It was deemed important in the scope and preparation of the
present HandBook to give with considerable detail a description
of the population including with its marked characteristics an
account of the public institutions of the State State government
some of the laws of general application the educational establish
ments railroads newspapers etc Information as regards these
enumerated subjects it would seem would be acceptable to all who
were not citizens of Georgia and were interested in obtaining min
ute information in regard to her true standing among her sister
commonwealths
A cursory account is given in the present work of the fruit
grass garden and field products of the State with some examples
of successful husbandry proving the remunerative possibilities of
our soil While this enumeration and account does not pretend to
IV
PREFACE
be exhaustive by any means it will nevertheless convince any one
informed on such matters that in the wide range of valuable sta
ples Georgia takes rank with the most highly favored Statesinour
Union It is not assuming any advantage not clearly established
by the history or natural capabilities or resources of Georgia to
claim for her a position second to no commonwealth embraced in
the limits of this vast republic In general productiveness in sa
lubrity of climate in the incomparable blessing of good water in
facilities of transportation in educational advantages in the moral
tone of her people and the almost unbroken good order of society
what State of our day and generation can justly claim a happier
condition or a higher civilization For proof of all this we refer
the inquirer or the doubter to data furnished by the Common
wealth of Georgia as here presentedERRATA
In the titles of maps of winter and annual rainfall following pages 38 and 64
for isothyetal read isohyetal
On page 53 in 14th line from bottom strike out next is that between
In Legend of Agricultural map following page 96 for cherity read cherty
On page 126 in two lines at bottom and on page 127 in 3d 17th line from
top for ocre read ocher
In marginal note on page 159 for U S Engineer Corps read Civil De
partment of the U S Engineer Corps
On page 285 in 18th line from top for have been read have not beenCONTENTS
PART IThe Country
Preface Page
I General Character of Georgia 3
II Strong Outline View of Georgia 6
III Topography 18
IV Climate 35
V Geology 73
VI Agricultural Geology 92
VII Economic Minerals 118
VIII Waterpowers 158
PART IIThe People
I Origin and Characterof the People 205
II Population Wealth and Occupations 212
III Institutions of the People 236
Constitution Government and Laws 236
Department of Agriculture 253
Educational Institutions 257
Religious Denominations 283
IV Railroads Banks and Newspapers 299
PART IIIProductions
I Wealththe accumulation of past productions 317
Current or Annual Productions 324
II Fruits in Georgia 333
III Grasses in Georgia 342
IV Garden Products 352
V Field Productions of the State 357
Capacity of Georgia Soil Under High Culture 361
MAPS PLATES AND SECTIONS
PAQB
Profile Sections from Chattahoochee Ridge to the Atlantic Ocean 19
Profile Section from the Northwest corner of the State to the Atlantic Ocean 20
Profile Section from Alabama to South Carolina 22
Hypsometric Mapfollowing 16
Map Showing Spring Temperature 40VIII
CONTENTS
Map showing Spring Rainfallfollowing 40
Summer Temperature 48
Rainfall 48
Autumn Temperature 48
Rainfall 48
Winter Temperature 56
Rainfall 56
Annual Temperature 64
Rainfall 64
Geological Map 80
Agricultural Map 96
Forestry Map 95
Mineral Map 120
Shoals of the Chattahoochee 160
Shoals of the Ocmulgee 165
Shoals of the Etowah 167
Shoals of Yellow River 170
Shoals of South River 173
Shoals of Savannah from Augusta to Tallulah River 175
Shoals of Savannah and Tugalo from Cherokee Shoals to Tallulah Falls 178
Wesleyan Female College 271
Shorter College 275
Southern Female College 281
Appendix 371
Index 373THE
COMMONWEALTH OF GEORGIA
PART ITHE COUNTRY
CHAPTER I
GENERAL CHARACTER OF GEORGIA
The elements which enter into the composition of a State are so
numerous that in order to understand its character as a whole some
shortcut is needed Perhaps no better compendious method is to
be found than dealing with a State as with an individual to inquire
into its general character and reputation among those who already
know it Judged by this standaid which is obviously fair the
character of Georgia among her sister States stands confess
edly high She is favorably known among her neighbors and
favorably regarded abroad She has no inconsiderable influence in
the councils of the nation and very great influence in the councils
of the South the section of which she is a member Among these
especially her views and opinions in matters of Federal and State
policy are respected and her example largely followed Indeed
she has by general consent acquired the title of the Empire State
of the South a title however which may perhaps hereafter need
to be transferred to Texas On this subject the Encyclopedia Brit
annica closes its article with the remark Texas possibly excepted
no Southern State has a greater future than Georgia
The opinions thus formed conld be put in evidence in a court of
justice They are the resultant of many factors and the conclusions
of many observers Georgia being the youngest daughter of Eng
land among the colonies is also among the younger States west of
her a Mother State and so she visits much and in turn is much
visited even as Atlanta is a Gate city so is Georgia largely a Gate4 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
State The Atlantic and Gulf elopes both are hers In the chaio
of travel between the emigrant and immigrant States of the South
the is a connecting link so in the resorts to Florida as a sanitari
vm and to those in Southern Georgia and indeed in Northern
ueorgia ako she is a link in the chain when not its terminus And
thus the opportunities of mutual acquaintance are unusually good
between Georgia and citizens of all States and sections
It will be the object of some ensuing chapters to indicate the
particulars which go to make up this general character In the
present chapter we will notice one general feature which charac
terizes the State in many of its aspects
Georgia is eminently and in almost every respect
A VARIETY 8TATB
Varied as to country people and productions as to soil and climate
as to the people who inhabit it white and black as to industries
and institutions as to fruits and vegetables and farm garden and
orchard products as to resources agricultural mineral and manu
facturing
Its territory is large with ample room for choice and selection
Its chief extent is fiom north to south so the range of latitude is
considerable northward from a nearly tropical southern boundary
The range of elevation is also large from tidewater by a gradual
rise to bold mountains with only stinted vegetation Latitude and
elevation thus help each other in supplying a remarkable range of
climate and production
The State is full of geological variety with consequent variety of
soils and minerals In the census volume entitled Cotton Pro
duction of the State of Georgia the opening comment on the
geological features of the State is this The geological formations
represented in Georgia embrace the Metamorphic the Palieozoic
the Triassic Cretaceous Tertiary and Quaternary
And all these are considerably mixed together As the present
treatment however is for the popular rather than the scientific
reader we may say that the geology embraces formations prior to
the early forms of life and from these all grades to regions of which
the witty remark wa3 made to one who complained that hia sectionTHE COMMONWEALTH OF GEORGIA
5

was not appreciated A fine country it may be but God Almighty
has not yet finished it
Nor less varied is the population extending from a peculiarly
pure form of the AngloSaxon racennsurpassed as a blood in the wide
world to the African of various tribes some of them of the better
races others descended from the Guinea negro very low in the
scale
Between these extremes nearly all varieties are to be found and
yet with the State stamp upon them all But to treat of the peo
plemost important work of allmust be the task of later chapters
Varied in like manner are the productions of the State both nat
ural and cultivated From the magnolia liveoak and palmetto of
lower Georgia we pass through a region of pine and another of
oak hickory and poplar to the chinquepin and chestnut of the
mountains on which grow also the wellknown and wellnamed
oak orchards the scrubbed oaks almost as hard as iron bearing a
close resemblance to apple trees
The home of the orange fig and banana at the south of the
choicest of peaches melons and pears in the middle of the State
and of apples cherries berries etc in the north
Between the planting seasons or the early vegetable seasons of
different sections the range is so great that one would almost think
time would run out and a single season be insufficient to cover the
range between the coast and the mountains
Diversity of occupation also obtains liberally cotton and corn
rice sugar truck farming fruits melons even tea There are
mining industries in gold iron and coal quarries of granite and
marble and buhrstone Scarcely any State surpasses Georgia in
variety of minerals
Manufacturing industries great and small are constantly growing
in extent and variety and of late years the small industries have
been introduced the best foundation for permanent prosperity
small industries in manufactures being like small farms in agricul
ture The number of towns has also increased astonishingly Cot
ton and wool factories iron works soap brooms buckets fertilizers
watches cutlery etc etc are all in progress or budding
The people are enterprising selfreliant shifty not afraid theyDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
are plastic and not easily crushed There is enterprise in many
way in town and city in railroads in coming and going in the
presswitness as a leading example the Constitution newspaper
Now for these various statements and many more that might be
made the specifications and details are to be given in short chap
ters or tracts on the various heads for the easy nse of those inter
ested on one head or topic or another Say one on the people
another on the products one on the whites another on the colored
people or on cotton or climate or a sanitarium for invalids and 60
on for each topic and each taste
On the whole we who live in Georgia think we have in Georgia
an excellent patch and parcel of the earths surface very conveni
ent for mans use and occupation for the three great purposes of
health wealth and societyCHAPTER II
A STRONG OUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA
There are three main topics to be treated viz The Country
the People and the Productions
1 THE COUNTRY
SITUATION
a LatitudeGeorgia lies between 30 deg 21 min 39 sec and
35 deg North latitude It is strictly a Southern State for its
Northern boundary 35 deg is south of the lowest parallel of Europe
36 deg
6 Longitude The State lies between 80 deg 50 min 9 sec and
85 deg 44 min west from Greenwich between 3 deg 47 min 21
sec and 8 deg 42 min west from Washington City At sunrise in
Georgia 6 a m it is noon in Eastern France and Switzerland
sundown in Southwest China and Thibet and midnight in the
heart of the Pacific Oceansay halfway between the Sandwich
Islands and New Zealand
c PositionIn the United States Georgia is in the Southeast
corner of the Southeast section of the Union except Florida it is
the extreme Southeastern State It lies just at the bend of the
coast the Atlantic and Gulf States form a grand arch of which
Georgia is the keystone
BOUNDARIES
Georgia is bounded on the North by Tennessee and North Caro
lina on the East by South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean on
the South by Florida and on the West by Florida and Alabama
The Northern boundary is the 35th parallel of North latitude
extending from Nickajack to Ellicotts Rock This line separates
Georgia from Tennessee for 73 miles and from North Carolina for
70i miles
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The Eastern boundary is the Savannah river separating Georgia
from South Carolina running in a general course of about
South 35 deg East for about 247 miles and then to the Atlantic
coast running about South 20 West about 120 miles
The Southern boundary is partly the St Marys river partly a
line running 87 deg 17 min 22 sec average direction nearly a
parallel of latitude for 158 miles
The Western boundary is partly the Chattahoochee river average
course about North 6 deg West for about 150 miles then leaving
the river the boundary runs North 9 deg 30 min West to the
Tennessee line 14b miles
FORM AND DIMENSIONS
In form Georgia is massive and compact Five lines suffice for
a fair outline and six for a close approximation being a keystone
it is nearly such in form wedgeshaped
The greatest length is from North to South about 320 miles
and the greatest breadth from East to West about 254
The Gee graphical centre of Georgia is about 20 miles Southeast
of Macon near Jeffersonville in Twiggs county Near the same
point is the centre of the colored population of the Union
AREA
The area of Georgia is 58980 square miles it is the ninth State
in size in the Union and the largest State east of the Mississippi
TOPOGRAPHY
MountainsThe great Appalachian chain the breastbone of
the continent the Rocky Mountains on the west being the back
bone forms by far the leading topographical feature of the long
line of Atlantic States In its relation to this great feature Geor
gia has its entire northern boundary among mountain ranges
extending beyond her limits into Alabama on the west and South
Carolina on the east No peak in Georgia is a mile high Mt
Enotah in Towns county the highest being 4796 feet The most
noted mountains are the Rabun Bald Blood Tray Yonah
Grassy Walkers Lookout and the Stone Mountain the largest
mass of solid granite in the worldOUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA g
RidgesA great ridge runs from the St Lawrence River through
the Atlantic States to Cape Sable in Florida
This ridge of which the culminating points are mountains
passes almost centrally through Georgia It is for threefourths of
its length the long irregular eastern edge of the great Mississippi
basin
A second great ridge separates the Mississippi valley from the
Gulf slope This the southern edge of the Mississippi basin also
passes through Northern Georgia The two ridges meet near the
corner of Rabun Towns and White counties
At this critical point a man standing with an umbrella in a shower
sheds the water so that one part reaches the Atlantic near Savannah
a second part the Gulf at Apalachicola while a third enters the
Gulf below New Orleans having passed successively through the
Hiwassee the Tennessee Ohio and Mississippi Rivers
Water ShedsGeorgia participates in three great basins deter
mined by the ridges just described Of her surface there are in the
Atlantic slope about 32400 square miles the Gulf slope about 25730
square miles the Mississippi valley about 850 square miles Thus
the drainage of about 54 per cent of the surface is into the Atlan
tic
RiversOn the Atlantic coast there is but one slope and generally
the rivers flow with a rough parallelism southeast to the ocean In
Georgia which partakes of three great slopes they run in all di
rections southeast southwest west and north In the Atlantic
States generally they run as from the ridge of a roof In Georgia
as from the apex of a cone
The rivers on the Atlantic coast lie generally rather on the west
side of their basins and the longest confluent streams are on the east
side
RIVER SYSTEM OP GEORGIA
Atlantic Slope
HEAD OF NAVIGATION

Savannah450Augusta
Ogeechee 200Louisville
Altamaha 70
32400
NAVIGABLE LENGTH BASIN AREA
2504000
150 6000
7014104IO
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
LENGTH HEAD OF NAVIGATION NAVIGABLE LENGTH BASIN AREA
0conee300 C RR Bridge 340 4500
Ocmulgee300 Hawkinsville 340 6000
Satilla Burnt Fork 50 4000
St Marys Traders Hill 50 500
Gulf Slope 27020
Flint300 Albany 250 9500
Chhoochee 450 Columbus 300 6000
Coosa 6020
Oostanaula 105
Etowah
The navigable length of the Altamaha is added to its confluents
the Oconee and Ocmulgec
The estimates are only approximate
Water powers abound especially at the heads of navigation of
the rivers estimated in the aggregate at 4000000 horse power
This exceeds the entire amount in actual use iu the Union for all
manufacturing and milling purposes
CoastThe coast line runs southwest from Savannah to St Ma
rysin a direct line about 123 miles by shore line abent 480
HarborsSavannah and Brunswick have the principal harbors
and are the chief ports Darien and St Marys have also good har
bors
Sounds are numerous along the coast affording excellent internal
navigation
Islands abound along the entire coast lino
The Okefinokee Swamp trembling earth several hundred
square miles in area is more than 100 feet above tide water and
susceptible of drainage
Natural DivisionsThese are threeUpper Middle and Lower
Georgia Upper Georgia is mountainous Middle Georgia an un
dulating country with clay soil and oak and hickory forests South
ern or Lower Georgia is characterized by sandy surface soil and pine
forests These sections are often subdivided for the sake of nicer
discrimination
SceneryThe State abounds in fine and varied scenerymoun
tains valleys and waterfalls These are now accessible and much
visited and admiredOUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA
II
Among the noted views are those from Lookout Pigeon and
Stone Mountains and from Yonah and Tray Nacoochee is the
most noted valley Among the falls are Tallulah the terrible Toe
coa the beautiful and the Estatoa as yet little known but of
surpassing beauty
GeologyThe general geological features of the Atlantic slope
from the sea to the mountains represent all the intermediate grades
from the period of earliest life to lands yet unfinished Of these
manifold formations Georgia cuts out a slice
The lines of the State ruu across all topographical and geological
divisions
MINERALS
The minerals depending on the geology are equally varied
Few States present so great a variety embracing amongst others
gold iron silver popper lead and manganese granite limestone
marble sandstone slate buhrstone soapstone mica asbestos
kaolin and various precious stones the diamond ruby amethyst and
opal
A list of the minerals is given in the Hand Book of Georgia p
30
SOILS
These depending also on the geological formation are equally
varied and often so intermixed that the epithet spotted would
apply In the northwest the soil is composed of disintegrated lime
stone etc in the northeast of granite and like stones In Middle
Georgia are red clay and gray soils with potash In Southern
Georgia the better lands contain lime and marl A region near
Columbus is cretaceous The fertility of the soil and its adaptation
to production will be the subject of a future chapter
CLIMATE
The climate of Georgia is full of variety in its relations to
health comfort and production Since for every three hundred feet
of elevation there is a fall of one deg in temperature this cause
would make a change in Georgia of about 16 deg The difference
ij latitude 4J deg would occasion a difference of about 9 deg12
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
These two causes would effect a variation therefore of about 25 deg
The annual mean for the State is about 651 degthe summer
mean about 797 deg and the winter mean about 501 deg In North
ern Georgia the summer mean about 753 deg the winter mean
about 428 deg In South Georgia the annual mean 677 deg sum
mer 813 winter 536 In Middle Georgia the annual mean 635
summer 792 winter 472
The foregoing figures are derived from the records of the De
partment of Agriculture and they rectify the usual statements of
temperature based on imperfect data
The mean temperature of Atlanta corresponds with that of Wash
ington City Louisville and St Louis The extremes are seldom as
great as in the Northern cities and sun strokes are less frequent
On the whole the range of choice in climate is very wide from the
invigorating climate of the mountains to the rather debilitating
summer climate of the South modified however by the sea
breezes
There are few climates superior for the year round to that of
Middle Georgia Southern Georgia supplies in winter a sanitari
um for pulmonary diseases and Northern Georgia in summer for
malarial diseases and fever indeed for lung diseases also
Inadequate provision is made against cold in our homes but the
tendency is to improvement in this regard
Our winterclitnate is such as respects production that foreigners
ay we have two annual crops This fact is of great service in win
tering stock
RainfallThis varies in different sections of the Stateand
not in the way usually represented The lowest reports indicate
39 inches the highest 72 The average is about 50 inches A full
report will be given hereafter
NATURAL PRODUCTS
ForestsThere is timber abundant for all purposes fuel and
material for work material for houses and ships for fencing and
furniture and tools for use and ornament for shade and fruit for
wagons carriages and plows
A large business is done in the exportation of lumber and also 0
turpentine and like productsOUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA
13
Pine oak hickory walnut the elm ash and maple magnolia and
live oak abound in different sections There are great advantages
in the second growth pines which follow after cultivation
In the hand book of Georgia p 110 a list of 230 woody plants
is given
Grasses A chapter will be devoted hereafter to the natural and
the cultivated grasses of Georgia
Fuller information on these subjects will be furnished in subse
quent chapters
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The more distant external relations of Georgia are involved in its
situation on the earths surface The State lying between the 30th
and 35th parallels of latitude occupies on the Western Continent
the same belt with Asia Minor on the east Hence no people read
the Bible narratives and descriptions with more sympathy and
clear understanding than do the Southern people
At the summer solstice on the southern border of Georgia the
sun lacks but 8 deg of being vertical and gives to this region a
semitropical character Even the most northern parallel of the
State passes entirely south of Europe
Tracing our latitude across the western continent Georgia corre
sponds in part with South Carolina Alabama Mississippi Louis
iana Texas New Mexico Arizona and California Upper Georgia
would lie on the same parallel with North Carolina Arkansas and
the Indian Territory
Traced across the Eastern continent we fall entirely below Eu
rope and embrace North Africa viz the Barbary States Morocco
Algiers Tunis and Tripoli and the island of Cyprus The same belt
passing into Asia embraces parts of Asia Minor Persia Afghanistan
upper Hindostan Thibet lower Tartary and China The difference
in the elevation of the North Star above the horizon in Northern
as compared with Southern Georgia is quite obvious to the eye
without instruments One who goes as far south as Galveston or
Cape Sable or as far north as Boston or Montreal is quite struck
with the difference
Of the Isothermal belt we shall speak when treating of climate
A road to the Pacific coast not far from the thirtysecond parallel
would cross the continent with the least interruption rising above
14
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
that parallel in parts to avoid mountains passing from Savannah
by Montgomery Jackson near Shreveport and Nashville Tyler
Dallas Port Worth and El Paso to San Diego on the Pacific
Savannah is nearly on the same parallel with Alexandria Jeru
salem the Dead Sea Lahore and Shanghai Atlanta with Damascus
and Nankin
In longitude Georgia lying between meridians 81 and 86 is near
ly one fourth of a full circle a little less than a quadrant west of
Greenwich The sun rising in Savannah at six touches North
America first at Cape Charles at about 945 reaches Washington at
1108 the coast of Georgia at 1124 and its western boundary at
1144 a m nearly noon
The whole State lies west of South America on he most eastern
meridian first touching Cape Blanco The sun has risen full on
the most western point of South America when it first reaches
Georgia
Tracing our longitude the central meridian of Georgia would pass
through the Isthmus of Panama Western Cuba Florida Tennes
see Kentucky Ohio and Michigan passing into West Canada near
the junction of the three great lakesSuperior Michigan and Hu
ron
Our antipodes would be about 1000 miles west of South Australia
The meridian of Atlanta passes near Panama Tallahassee Frank
fort Cincinnati near the center of population of the United States
and Lansing and the Straits of Mackinaw
BLUE AND RED TIME IN GEORGIA
All the railroads in Georgia use red time except the Atlanta
Charlotte AirLine road which uses blue Red or Central time
corresponds with time on the 90th meridian blue with the 75th
The Savannah river is on the separating line nearly between the
two standards
NEARER EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF GEORGIA
Georgia lying just at the terminus of the great Eastern chain of
Mountainsthe Appalachiansembraces the first easy gap for
many hundreds of miles between the Mississippi Valley and the
Atlantic This gap is penetrated by the Western Atlantic Rail
road The next convenient point of passage is Rabun Gap in
Northeast Georgia
OUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA 15
In addition to her own resources Georgia lies convenient to South
Carolina for phosphates and rice to Florida for oranges and early
fruits and vegetables and for her health resorts in winter to Ala
bama for coal iron and marble to Tennessee for the same and for
grain and hog products horses mules etc and to North Carolina
for summer resorts
By rail she connects with all the Northwest the Southwest and
Northeast And into the latter also by steamboat lines and by
sailing vessels Her ports connect promptly also with the West
Indies and South America
ORIGINAL AREA
The original area of Georgia before the session of territory to
the Federal Government in 1802 was over 147000 square miles
It included the greater portion of the pre sent States of Alabama
and Mississippia princely territory with rich natural resources
In addition to this a correct location of the Northern boundary
would have embraced with In the limits of Georgia a narrow but
long strip of land now Contained in the States of North Carolina
Tennessee Alabama and Mississippi The original grant called fo
aline running West from the most Northern branch or stream
of the River Savannah This would have included in Georgia
the Ducktown minesand perhaps the city of Chattanooga
Georgia would with this territory be the third State in the
Union only loss in area than Texas and California
Comparative Areas and Density of Population
Area Pop per sq mllo
Texas 262290 607
California 155980 554
Nevada 109760 57
Oregon 96500 185
Minnesota 79205 9 86
Kansas 81700 1219
Nebraska 76185 596
Missouri 68735 3155
Georgia 58980 2615
United States omitting Alaska2970000 1729
The States2063000 2400
6 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
New England 62003 6500
Middle States 4 102020 14500
Germany 208626 21700
France 204030 17100
Great Britain and Ireland 121751 27700
Japan 146568 23600
Elevation Above SeaLevel
In the census report of 1830 it is remarked that nearly one
fifth of the population of the United States live below 100 feet
more than twofifths below 500 feet more than threefourths below
1000 feet while 97 per cent live below 2000 feet In the area
below 500 feet live nearly all the people engaged in manufactures
commerce and in the culture of cotton rice and sugar
The Areas in Georgia are only approximate but not far wrong
TABLE OF AREAS AND POPULATION ACCORDINS TO ELEVATION ABOVE
SEALEVEL
Georgia
Above SeaLevel AREA POPULATION
FBET Square Miles Between the Levels Below Upper Level
Total Pr q Mile Colored 45000 360000 300000 2000 600 200 TOTAL
0 to 100 100 to 500 500 to 1000 1000 to 1500 1500 to 2000 over 2000 3000 35000 15000 3200 1300 1000 86000 700000 620000 125000 8000 4000 29 20 45 40 6 4 886000 1406000 1531000 1539000 1543000
The United States
0 to 100 181000 410000 9152296 10776284 50 26 1466233 2958864
100 to 500 19928580
500 to 1000 554300 15129227 27 1704158 85952900
1000 to 1500 367400 7904780 22 354013 46 857680
1500 to 2000 180000 1878715 11 59556 48736395
over 2000 1332900 1419398 1 33874 50155793
The average elevation of the State is between 600 and 700 feet
SAbove 3000 Feet
P 2000103000 Feet
j 1500 to 2000 Feet
Ij ron to 1500 Feet
LEGEND
II 5 to 1000 Feet
100 to 500 Feet
o to 100 Feet
HYPSOMETRIC
MAP
OF
GEORGIA
CONSTRUCTED fKOM
U S COAST SURVEY DETERMI
NATIONS RAILROAD SURVEYS
AND
BAROMETRIC NOTES
Department of Agriculture
1885
Uutilop Cohen PrsEnKOUTLINE VIEW OF GEORGIA
17
Between 100 and 1000 over 80 per cent of the total population
live uearly 90 per cent of the colored population
In the outline view of Georgia just presented we have treated
briefly of The Country A fuller treatment is needed however in
certain aspects especially of its topography and geology soil cli
mate and natural products
While these are all interrelated geology is the most fundamental
affecting all the other topics yet topography being the most ob
vious factor is therefore to be first treated A topographical map
of the State based on full and proper data is a great desideratum
and would teach the eye at a glance as much as a volume of descrip
tion But the materials for such a map are as yet very meagre
There is however a considerable mass of materials in the posses
sion of the Coast Survey in Washington City which cost a large
sum and is perfectly available yet has never been utilized by the
State It is very valuable
This completes perhaps with sufficient fullness the outline view
of the Country an Empire in extent full of variety abounding
in resources and offering ample room for choice in the wide and
diversified range of human pursuits
2CHAPTER III
TOPOGRAPHY
GENERAL SURFACE FEATURES OF THE STATE
Georgia is naturally divided into a number of zones extending
across the State in direction approximately parallel with the coast
line differing more or less in geology topography climate and pro
duction
The State presents great variety in her topography From an
extensive area of nearly level surface in South Georgia the coun
try graduates towards the north through undulating rolling and
hilly lands to a mountainous region of diversified character in
North Georgia rising at the same time from sea level to an altitude
of five thousand feet
The State is divided by bold defines into three divisions Lower
Middle and Upper Georgia each having along with much diversity
in itself some prominent characteristics in common throughout its
extent
The first of these natural division beginning on the south
that of Southern or Lower Georgia extends from Florida and the
Atlantic coast to a line crossing the State from Augusta to Colum
bus and passing at the heads of navigation near Milledgeville and
Macon This is an approximately level sandy region covering
more than half of the State and embracing all of the Cretaceous and
Tertiary formations This section graduates from sea level to about
five hundred feet
Beginning with the low marsh lands on the coast the country
rises by terraces first to the height of twelve or fifteen feet above
tide and next thirty or forty miles inland to the height of seventy
five or one hundred feet Beyond this the surface varies from
nearly level to undulating and becoming hilly in fhe upper or
northern part
Middle Georgia is a broad hilly region having few elevationsChattahoochce KM6
AV ATLANTA
Ms
V
2d Terrece
tied Lcvei

W a t
lst Terrece
Horizontal scale40 miles to the Inch
Profile Section pesjgnep to shov approximately the elevations of tie country from the Oijattahoichee Ridge to the Atlantic coastHorizontal Scale50 miles to the inch
ProFiLB Section designed to show approximately the relative elevations of the country from the horthwest corner of the State to the
Atlantic CoastTOPOGRAPHY
21
that are designated as mountains and these with few exceptions
are such as would hardly receive the distinctive name of a ridge in
the more northern portions of the State Lands too steep for the
plow are of rare occurrence over the larger part of this area Pine
Mountain in Harris and Graves Mountain in Lincoln are eleva
tions of a few hundred feet above the surrounding country that
form conspicuous features in the landscape
Stone Mountain stands six hundred feet above the surrounding
country and covers at its base an area of about one square mile
This is a mass of denuded granite destitute of vegetation except
here and there a bush or scrubby tree that has found foothold in
the crevices of the rock The summit affords a view reaching be
yond the limits of the State
The Chattahoochee Ridge is a prominent feature forming a long
water divide reaching nearly across the State from Habersham to
Troup county Atlanta is situated on the crest of this ridge
One conspicuous feature of the larger portion of Middle
and North Georgia in marked contrast with Southern Georgia
is the existence of fragmentary stones usually of quartz rocks
scattered over the surface of the lands
Upper Georgia embraces a section with striking peculiarities of
surface and great variety in soil Northeast Georgia varies from
one thousand to five thousand feet above sea level Northwest
Georgia generally distinguished as the Limestone Region ranges
from six or seven hundred to twentyfive hundred feet and has
an extent of 3360 square miles covering the larger part of ten
counties
Some of the features of these divisions of the State particu
larly the topography pass by almost imperceptible gradations
into each other but nevertheless become well marked distinctive
characteristics of the geological divisions to which they pertain
Some of the more important and distinguishing characteristics in
the topography will be noticed more in detail in treating of the
geology and of the agricultural features of the sections
A general idea of the elevation above sea for all parts of the
State may be had by reference to the Hypsometric Map
About 3000 square miles near the Atlantic coast has an altitudeCohntta Mountain
Horizontal Scale about lb miles to the inch
Profile Section from the Alabama to the South Carolina State Lines designed to show the general and the
vations of the country near the northern line of the state
RELATIVE ELETOPOGRAPHY
23
of one hundred feet or less above tide 29000 or about half of
the State ranges from one hundred to five hundred feet 20000
square miles from five hundred to one thousand feit and about
6000 square miles is above the altitude of one thousand feet A
large part of the last area consists of steep ridges and mountains
some of which in the Blue Ridge reach an altitude of about five
thousand feet above sea level
The mountainous parts of the State lie in one degree of latitude
north of the 34th parallel
The Appalachian chain enters the State with several parallel lines
of elevations The highest of these the Blue Ridge his an alti
tude of from three thousand to nearly five thousand feet
The Cohutta range continuous with the Unaka of Tennessee
three thousand feet in altitude with an abrupt escarpment toward
the valley of the Oostanaula on the west lies about twenty
miles west of the Blue Ridge
Next in order on the northeast comes the Lookout and Sand
Mountain table lands belonging to the Allegheny system Between
the principal ranges of mountains here enumerated are numerous
minor elevations or ridges observing a general parallelism These
decrease in height towards the southwest and ultimately die out
the most easterly ranges disappearing first and the others in suc
cession The Blue Ridge as an unbroken chain extends only
about onethird the distance across the State terminating abruptly
The Cohutta range continues into Alabama in a low elevation known
as Dugdown Mountain while the Table Land mountains with their
associated ridges extend with decreasing altitudes many miles into
Alabama
DRAINAGE
The streams of the State flow either into the Atlantic Ocean or
into the Gulf of Mexico The divide between these water sheds
runs from the Okefenokee swamp a northwesterly direction to At
lanta whence it follows the Chattahoochee ridge a northeast direc
tion to Habersham county when it curves to the north extending
to Union county
Of the Gulf drainage the larger part flows directly to the gulf
through the Chattahoochee and the Coosa rivers and their tributa24
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ries while gome smaller streams near the northern line of the State
belong to the Mississippi drainage The divide between these sys
tems runs a zigzag course often crossing the trend of mountains
and valleys from near the northwest to the northeast corner of the
State dipping into the States of Tennessee and North Carolina at
several points
RELATIONS OF THE TOPOGRArHY TO THE EOCKS OF THK COUNTRY
So closely is the topography of the State related to the geological
conditions and structure that a knowledge of one suggests with
much certainty the other The mountains valleys and plains are
resulting features dependent primarily upon the character of the
rocks Each great geological formation is made up of a series of
strata of different consistencies The mountains and ridges of Geor
gia probably without an exception owe their relative elevation above
the surrounding country to the greater capacity of their tocks to
resist the erosive influences of the atmosphere and not to independ
ent upheavals according to the popular idea of their origin The
harder rocks or such as are least subject to decomposition with
standing better the effects of the weather are left behind in the
general wearing down of the country and form its prominent fea
tures while the softer or less resisting materials give rise to ravines
valleys or broad plains according to the extent of outcrop
It is a fact of common observation that the rocks of the country
have in general a northeasterly trend corresponding to the direc
tions of the ridge and mountain chains A little observation in a
hilly or mountainous region will serve to show that the rocks of the
lower ground are made up of materials that readily decompose into
softer materials forming the clays or loose sands of thesurface The
limestones often disappear entirely from the immediate surface and
are coveied up with the less soluble siliceous or argillaceous material
of their own composition or with the detritus from interstratified
layers while the more durable materials of which the mountains are
made up commonly stand out in bold denuded bluffsTOPOGRAPHY
25

Throughout Middle and North Georgia the strata lie in a series
of great folds or flexures and the beds of rock come to the surface
at all angles between the horizontal and the perpendicular In this
way the harder and softer materials of which the formations are
composed are successively brought to the surface and the streams
naturally selecting the softer beds have worn out the hollows and
valleys leaving the harder layers to the higher grounds This fact
well displayed in the northwest part of the State where the valleys
are scooped out of the softer limestones and shales while the more
resisting sandstones and conglomerates are left behind in the general
wearing down and now enter into the structure of the ridges and
mountains For an illustration of this fact see the Geological Sec
tion from Lookout Mountain to Dicks Itidge in a subsequent chap
ter
A geological section of this part of the State exhibits the strata
in folds like a fluted ruffle and the mountains with few excep
tions situated on the downward or synclinal fold of the strata and
the vallejs on the upward or anticlinal folds so that contrary to
the popular idea the valleys and not the mountains are on rela
tively upheaved strata A plausible explanation of these facts is
suggested in the evident general tendency of an upward fold to
loosen the texture and thus promote the disintegration of the
rocks as well as to produce possibly by fissure convenient out
lets for springs as well as channels for streams which when
conforming to the trende of the rocks follow in most instances the
anticlinal axes The downward fold of the strata on the con
trary naturally tends by compression to harden the beds thus
fitting them the better to resist erosion so that we have in
such situations some of our highest mountains and ridges The
layers of strata of which the synclinal mountains are com
posed have been literally washed off to the ocean from the areas
now constituting the valley and which except for this erosion
would now be the highest lands of the country Most perhaps
all of the geological formations of the State give evidence of their
formation by slow deposition in the bed of the ocean and whatever
may have been the surface of the land on first emergence the
existing surface features are largely if not altogether due to26 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
erosion controlled by the elevation above tide and the stratagraphic
condition alluded to as favoring or resisting this action
ELEVATIONS
The following are the elevations above the average sea level of
some of the prominent mountains and other points of interest in
Surve d0temined tbe Ullited Stats Coast and Geoditic
Elevntion
Sitting Bull nnaaie sunlit of Nantahela Towns county5047
Mona east summit of Nantahela in Towns ZZ
Enota in Towns county
Rabun Bald in Rabun 49
Blood in Union 4718
Tray in Habersham 4468
Cobutta in Pannin44
Dome in Towns4155
Grassy in Pickens 4042
Tallulah northwest summit inHabershamZ SJ
Tallulah southeast summit in Habersham tl
ona in White
Walker in Lumpkinf7
Lookout at High Point in Walkerf
Pine Log in Bartow
Lookout at Round Mountain inWalkerof
Pigeon at High Point in Walker oa
Skit 2i29
Sawnee in Porsyth 2Ch5
Kennesaw in Cobb 1968
Stone Mountain ia DeKalbfjt
Sweat lfa86
Lavender in Floyd1693
Cleveland Church in White1
Taylors Ridge in Chattooga Jl
Dahlonega Agricultural College lKa
Mt Alto in Floyd 1518
Clarkesville Court House in Habersham l
Cams Mountain in Polk
Atlanta Capital Flag St3ZlrlZ1163
Thfollowing are elevations of points in Georgia on the line
The latitude of Fitting Bull at the point fthere this heinht is sriven is u w n i a TOPOGRAPHY
27
of railroads and which has been determined by the railroad sur
vey
WESTERN ATLANTIC RAILROAD
FROM ATLANTA GEORGIA TO CBATTAKOOGA TENNESSEE
Distance Elevation
Stations in miles m feet
Atlanta 0 1050
Chattahoochee Bridge 8 832
Chattahoochee River 8 762
Marietta 20 1132
Railroad Summit 23 1156
Acworth 34 932
Allatoona Creek about 805
Allatoona 875
Etowah Bridge 47 771
Etowah River 47 696
Kingston 60 721
Adairsville 70 723
Calhoun 80 653
Oostanaula Bridge 85 655
Oostanaula River 85 623
Dalton 100 773
Tunnel Hill 107 859
Ringgold 114 776
Tennessee Line 714
Chattanooga Tennessee 138 663
EAST TENNESSEE VIRGINIA GEORGIA RAILROAD
FROM DALTON TO ALABAMA STATE LINE
Elevation in feet
782
Dalton
Rome 652
Cunningham 707
Cave Spring 697
Reeves 658
Six Mile 7C9
Vans Valley 662
Pryorsf 844
Alabama State Line 930
HOME TO ATLANTA
Rome 652
Silver Creek 677
Prices Station 863
Seney 830
Rock Mart 62
28
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
McPherson Elevation In feet
o 1005
Baswell
105
Cliattalioochee Bridge
Fair Grounds Atlanta
98o
MACON TO CHAUNCEY
Macon
Reeds 3o5
BullardsZZZZZZZZ if
AdamsPark
Buzzard Roost
Cochran 240
DuBoisZZZZZ34
Eastman 394
Chauncey 361
J 303
THE GEORGIA PACIFIC RAILWAY
FROM ATLANTA TO TALLAPOOSA RIVER
Stations Distance Elevation
Union Depot Atlanta J
Howell I 10a0
PeytonZZ 962
ChattahoocheeZZZZZZZZZZZZ 8
Bottom of Chattahoochee River i n
Concord 50
MabletonZZZZZZZZ 15 8f
Bottom of Sweetwater Creek
Austell 7
zZ Z
lue Jg
Winston
Vllla Kica
Temple 3 1160
Bremen 45A 118
Waco 1413
TauaPoosazzzzz5L S2
Bottom of the Tallapoosa River Z 68 2 945
ATLANTA WEST POINT RAILROAD
Stations Elevation
Atlanta ifeet
East Point
arbYnr1048
ameU1039
NewnM 9S5
GrantvilleZZZZ 892TOPOGRAPHY
Elevation In feet
Hogansville 768
LaGrange 778
West Point 620
Chattaboochee River 600
RICHMOND DANVILLE RAILROAD
Atlanta and RicMnODd AirLine
ATLANTA TO TOCCOA
Distance Elevation
Stations in miles in feet
Atlanta 0 1050
Doraville 15 1070
Norcross 20 1050
Suwanee 31 1027
Buford 37 1207
Flowery Branch 44 1122
Gainesville 53 1222
Bellton 67 1342
Mt Airy 80 1588
Mt Airy By U S Geoditic Survey 1610
Toccoa 93 1040
ATHENS TO CLAYTON
Athens Depot 600
Lula1326
Clarkesvilie1492
Tallulah1626
Rabun Gap2220
Clayton1970
ELBEKTON TO TOCCOA
Elberton 663
Toccoa1025
Lowest point on the line about 600
CENTRAL RAILROAD
MACON TO SAVANNAH
Distance
Stations in miles
Ocmulgee River lowwater 0
East Macon Depot 0
Griswold 10K
Gordon 20J4
McDonald 30
Emmit 384
Oconee River
Oconee 42
Tennille 55
Davisborough 67
Eleyation
in feet
263
297
464
343
245
210
186
221
29130
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Stations
Spears
Distance
in miles
Sebastopol
Herndon
Millen
Paramores Hill
Scarborough
Ogeechee
Halcyondale
Little Ogeechee Scriven county
Egypt
Guyton
Eden
Station No 1
Savannah Depot
1W4
90
100
120 Ji
129
140M
150
16034
170Ji
180K
ATLANTA TO MACON
Atlanta
Rough and Ready 11
Jonesboro
Fosterville
Griffin
28
Milner 48
4
Barnesville
Forsyth1
Prattsyille
Macon Depot
Low Water Ocmulgee River
85
102
Elevation
in feet
238
190
174
158
233
148
106
110
106
126
77
34
19
32
1050
1004
905
960
975
863
875
735
625
414
263
MACON TO ALBANY AND FORT GAINES
Macon Depot
Tobesofkee Creek Swamp 333
Tobesofkee Crek TrackZ 25
Tobesofkee Creek Bridge 290
Bridge between Tobesofkee anaEchaconneeSummit fl
Bndgeproper 9
Seagos 390
1M Byrons 36
2 Pwersville 513
Fort ValleyV 385
Ridge atSlapps Quarter beyond Indian Creek fff
Umorm Tableland to Marshallville
Winchester 491
Gradual Ascent to Flint River Bridee 463
Oglethorpe 290
Camp Creek Bridge f
Anderson ville 306
394TOPOGRAPHY
31
Elevation in feet
Ellaville 5S9
White Water Creek Culvert 361
Stewarts Turnout 474
Americus 360
Smithville 332
Kinchafoonee Bridge 275
Browns Station 369
Dawson 352
Graves Turnout 350
Nochway Brdge 292
Wards Station 392
Bridge beyond Wards 415
pachitla Creek Bridge 342
Cuthbert Depot 446
Junction 484
Morris Station 242
Colemans 391
Fort Gaines Depot 16334
Fort Gaines Bridge 190 about
GEORGIA RAILROAD
ATLANTA AND AUGUSTA BEANCH
Distance
iu miles
0
Stations
Atlanta
Decatur 64
Stone Mountain 15
Lithonia 244
Conyers 30
Yellow River about
Covington 41
Alcove Ulcofauhateliee River about
Social Circle 51
Rutledge 59
Madison 68
Buckhead 754
Oconee about
Greensboro 88
Union Point 95
Crawfordville 106
Cumming 114K
Caiiak 124
Thomson 1334
Dearing 142
Berzelia 1504
Belair 161
Augusta Depot
Savannah River
Hamburg Depot South Carolina
Elevation
in ieet
1050
1049
1055
954
909
670
763
674
890
728
696
642
514
627
674
618
647
613
531
489
517
324
147
119
15232
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
MACON TO AUGUSTA
Elevation
Stations in feet Surface
East Macon 285
Low Water Ocmulgee River 241
Wolf Creek 415
Commissioners Creek 422
Summit between Commissioners and Fishing Creek 493
Fortville 459
Fishing Creek 373
McCrarys 330
Camp 231
Milledgeville 204
Toblers Creek 255 235
Oconee River 269 214
Rocky Creek 350 315
Dry Pond Summit 593 648
Town Creek 575 540
Sparta 545
Twomile Branch 488 458
LittleOgeeebee 485 440
Culverton 537
Dry Creek 488 453
Fulsoms Creek 375 365
Ogeechee River 375
Long Creek 348 313
Schoolbouse Summit 525 550
Rocky Comfort 455 415
Golden Creek 453 42S
Warrenton Depot 488
ELEVATIONS IN GEOEG1A ASCERTAINED BY J E THOMES C E IN MAKING A
UNITED STATES RAILWAY SURVEY FROM THE TENNESSEE RIVER THROUGH
FISHERS GAP ON SAND MOUNTAIN ALABAMA TO THE ATLANTIC COAST IN
GEORGIA IN 1875
The line of this survey enters Georgia in the neighborhood of the old Burn t Village
in Troup county crosses the Tbomaston branch of the Macon and Western Rail
road passes through Culloden in Monroe Knoxville in Crawford crosses the Ocmul
gee above Hawkinsville and passes through Eastman in Dodge county and from
there nearly follows the line of the Macon and Brunswick Road to Brunswick
The length of this line from the Tennessee river to Brunswick is 412 miles over
250 of which is in Georgia
The elevations above the sea level are as follows
Elevation
Stations in feet
Chattahoochee River 674
Maple Creek 745
Mountain Creek 743TOPOGRAPHY
35
Elevation In feet
St Cloud Road 861
Atlanta and West Point Railroad 930
Flint River C97
Concord 804
Elkins Creek 711
Powder Creek 724
Potatoe Creek 669
Thomaston Branch Railroad 804
Tablers Creek 661
Culloden 696
Knoxville 640
Rich Hill 619
Mill Creek 504
Muscogee and S W Railroad 478
Ocmulgee Riverlow wa er 214
Hawkinsville Branch M and B R R 336
Limestone Creek 250
Macon and Brunswick Railroad 134th mile post 391
Eastman 356
McRae Station 224
Sugar Creek 103
Lumber City 147
Ocmulgee River low water 269
Carters Creek 140
Boggy Creek ii
Sa ila 87
Atanticand Gulf Railroad 318
Pinholoway River 39
Buffalo Swamp 25
TenMile Creek 25
Brunswick Depot 10
On this line Eas man is 112 miles and Culljden 212 miles from Brunswick

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP
A line of levels was run by the Geological Survey in 1S75 from
Mlxons Ferry on Snwanee river to Traders Hill on the St Marys
showing the following elevations above ebb tide
Water surface at Mizons Perry1073
Bench B in Pocket 1221
Bench D in Pocket120 4
Bench P in Pocket1213
Swamp between Pocket and Jones Island110 5
Jones Island1214
Swamp between Jons Island and Billys Island1164
Billys Island 1180
Bench of Bilys Island12384 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Camp Lee Billys Island1256
Billys LaVe Water Surface1160
Swamp E of Billys Island119 0
Two miles from Billys Island on Little Trail1193
Prairie West SideWater Surface1212
Rodenberrys House East side1533
Long Branch two miles from Rodenberrys House 551
Traders Hill 790
Water Surface St Marys River 50
A line of levels which was run round the swamp and connected
with the water in the St Marys river near Traders Hill in 1857 by
Colonel R L Hunter furnishes the following information in regard
to the elevation of the surface at different points
The highest part of the swamp is its northern extremity where
it is 126 feet above tidewater Coming south in six miles it de
scends five feet and then in thirteen miles from the last point it de
scends only one and a half feet on the east sideit being at that
point Mr Mattoxs 120 feet above tidewater while at an oppo
site point on the west side the mouth of Surveyors creek it is
only 116 feet
A nearly uniform descent continues from Mattoxs to the south
east corner of the swamp where the elevation is 116 feet while
near Ellicotts Mound where the branch of the St Marys runs out
of the swamp it is only 111
From the mouth of Surveyors creek to the extreme western an
gle of the swamp it falls scarcely any but on turning eastward to
wards the Suwanee river it gradually descends and when that
stream comes out of the swamp it is only about 110 feet above
tide
At the northeast point of the pocket it is 114J feet From that
toint it falls towards the place where Cypress creek runs out where
is about 111 feet Then it rises to 118J feet when half way to
he St Marys and gradually falls again to itCHAPTER IV
CLIMATE
A stranger studying the Southwith which section Georgia is
centrally identifiedis especially interested in three subjects viz
the climate the negro and cotton Of all matters connected with
the Country the climate most interests him Of those connected
with the People the negro interests him most for he feels that he
already knows the whites So of products Cotton is the special
product of the State corn grain etc he already knows We
shall therefore endeavor so to present each of these three subjects
as at once to gratify natural curiosity and furnish full information
Climate is perhaps the most important condition in the environ
ment of a people It embraces in its scope health and comfort
spirits brain force muscular force and vigor in a word nearly all
our enjoyments and all our faculties It affects profoundly our
modes of living our in door and outofdoor life and comes home to
us in a thousand ways
And climate moreover is a gift of nature not a product of art
It is peculiarly a datum a bestowment We can deal with a poor
soilwe can fertilize itbut it is hard to deal with a bad climate
We must submit to it
Not less marked are its effects on production on all that grows
from the ground Climate is a controlling condition on all vege
tation on trees and grasses and natural products and not less so on
cultivated crops vegetables and fruits equally so on animal life
on its vigor its diet its needs and its supply of food
Climate therefore is the inexorable and indispensable condition
of comfortable life It determines race tendencies largely It has
framed the Esquimaux and the Patagonian the Malay and Papuan
the white man the yellow red and black man It too determines36
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
cotton or corn the cereals rice or
crops the staples of a country
sugar
Therefore it is ever a matter of inquiry what of the climate
A general view of the climate of Georgia yields a very favorable
result It is an excellent climate for health comfort and produc
tion In the comparison of it however with that of States further
North or South some unexpected things are observed We speak
of the Sunny Southsometimes of the wintry Northyet the
changes are very gradual being wholly of degree not of kind
The character of the difference shows itself rather unexpectedly
much more in the extremes of cold than of heat Indeed the
extreme heat of the North equals and sometimes surpasses that of
the South There are more sunstrokes The difference is that
here the warm weather begins sooner and lasts longer it begins
earlier in the year and at an earlier hour of the day So the cold
at the North pervades more of the year and of each day Indeed
the climate is observed perhaps more in its effects than in our feel
ings As one goes from Georgia through North Carolina andi
Virginia the change steals upon him very slowly The forest
growths seem much the same he still sees oaks and hickories and
pines even persimmons In Richmond magnolias though not in
digenous are as common as in Augusta or Savannah Cotton is
still seen in many fields The elements are all the same only some
what differently mixed Going farther North the changes are
more frequent and manifest Yet the writer after all has suffered
more with heat at the North than at the South The warmest and
most oppressive days he has ever passed were one at Niagara Falls
and one in Boston the warmest night in Albany N Y On the
other hand he has suffered in doors more with cold at the South
than ever at the North The reason is not far to seek we prepare
for summer they for winter Our houses have broad halls and
wide piazzas In winter these halls are chilly and these piazzas
keep off the sun We have few or no furnaces but only the occu
pied rooms are heated So we suffer with cold occasionally but
not often and severely enough to compel the needful provision
against it Indeed with one fourth of the provision made at theCLIMATE
37
North our winter climate could be made delightful within doors
as it now is relatively so out of doors It is far less trying to
housed cattle and other animals also and so we provide less for
them All this illustrates the general law of human inertia which
only yields to stimulus instead of embracing opportunity
But an unusual proportion of the year is pleasant here as com
pared with other sections In few parts of the world can the re
mark be so often made this has been a perfect day The fall
is filled with such days delightful alike for man and beast in which
it is a luxury simply to live They often occur in other seasons
however and especially abound in the Indian summer We have
hot weather it is true and cold but a very desirable average for
all the purposes of human life Ours is an excellent climate the
year round and for invalids we have both a summer and a winter
sanitarium within our own borders
CLIMATE AND MAN
The range of absolute temperature is immense reaching from a
point some hundreds of degrees 300 or 400 below zero to a point
some thousands above our personal range however is very narrow
that of comfort aside from artificial provisions being only a few
degrees Says Sidney Smith with the thermometer under 20 or
over 78 all human affections cease one is occupied solely with his
own misery Aside indeed from clothing shelter and fire the
range of human comfort would be only 10 or 15 degrees
The usual temperature of the human body is about 98J degrees
P or 38 C Of the requisite number of degrees for keeping up
this temperature the heating apparatus in each mans person sup
plies about 30 degrees requiring 68 from external sources If the
air does not supply this we need a stove without in addition to the
stove within If the air is much above this the apparatus for the
waste of excess of heat by perspiration and evaporation is called
into active play
As the average temperature of Georgia is 65 degrees our fluctu
ations are round and about the proper point of equilibrium and
the drain on the system refluced to its lowest average level Were
this uniform indeed instead of average there would scarcely be38
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
any demand for fire in the winter or for ice or fans in the sum
mer Exercise and labor add to the temperature of the body but
by reason of increased perspiration a compensation is made For
active outofdoor work a temperature of 40 to tiO is good for in
door 68 to 75 Prof Draper says that a mean annual temperature
of 62 degrees is the most pleasant climatic mean for human comfort
THE CAUSES AFFECTING CLIMATE
The one great source of climate is the sun The moon stars and
planets nay even the internal heat of the earth itself affect it but
slightly The moons rays at the full do not affect the most deli
cate thermometer The great source of climate is the sun the son
the SUN The modifiers of climate are more numerous all depend
ing however on the one cause The special relations of the earth
to the sun in different localities determine the climate Of these
latitude is a chief factor with the consequent slope of the earths
general surface towards the sun Climate indeed means slope
Topography also affects climate partly by reason of local slopes
to and from the suns rays partly by obstructions to the wind
Natural products also affect it such as trees and grass by shading
the earths surface So the soil has its share of influence by virtue
of color and texture reflecting or absorbing heat The proximity
of the water of ocean lakes or rivers exerts also a great iufluence
on climate The influence of moisture also is prodigions
The Gkeat Medium of climate however is the atmosphere
Even as the sun is its source so with much emphasis the great
medium is the Airclimate is in the air Our direct contact with
the earth and with objects generally is comparatively small but
the air environs and envelopes us closely and distributes to us with
wonderful readiness and rapidity the temperature and moisture
which it gathers to itself from far and near Aside from the air
the local variations would be vastly greater and more trying than
they now are We should warm on one side and freeze on the
other Eadiation from the sun as from a fire would be wholly in
adequate to keep us comfortableunless we were on a spit rota
ting to expose all sides to the heat We should be in an Inferno
burning and freezing alternately Indeed a large number of niceCLIMATE
39
and delicate conditions are necessary to adapt a climate to mans
needs The mere absence of moisture in the air for example
would render the latter uninhabitable We know what a part is
played by the relative length of day and night Many are the nice
adjustments needed
This great ocean of air with its enormous mobility rising above
the mountains not only equalizes the temperature but is the me
dium of nearly all other weather phenomena It bears up th
clouds its movements are the winds it generates the storm th
lightning and the thunder Besides its local and variable current
grand earth currents are forever in motion these are laden for u
with good or illthey bring us dry weather or rain Evaporation
and distribution both depend on this allpervading atmosphere
Very dependent are we also on its purity It is the medium of
health and sickness it is essential to our breathing yet it may
bear miasma into our lungs a thousand times an hour Some writer
speaks well the praises of pure air calling it that gaseous food
of which we partake every minute of our lives and without
which we cannot live as many minutes as without any other food
we may live days
The more important factors of climate are Heat Rain and
Wind The peculiar atmospheric condition indicated by the pres
ence of ozone exerts a decided influence on health and spirits
Each of these factors is very variable in its relations to time and
place varying with the season the hour of the day locality etc
It is therefore almost impossible to grasp or to describe so complex
a thing as the climate of a State as a whole Averages help us
but after all
DISTRIBUTION
is yet more important It deserves stress in the study of the
weather as does the sun the source and the air the medium of all
its changes The average temperature may be just light yet never
a comfortable day be spent nor an influence felt favorable to veg
etation The average rainfall may be just what is needed yet no
crops made the average maybe made up of a succession of floods
and droughts And so it is distribution which is the important40
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
condition Of the 50 inches of rain which fall in a year the
proper distribution of 6 inches would insure excellent crops
WEATHER RECORDS
These should present all the important facts especially of heat
and rain and in such a way as not only to give extremes and
means but distribution We wish to know the annual and diur
nal changes which occur the sudden changes in temperature the
intervals in rainfall The number of days interval between rains
is more important than the exact quantity so also the rate of fall
whether sudden or slow whether washing rains or rains absorbed
In the Appendix we will present some suggestions as to the
FORM OF WEATHER TABLES
to secure the desired results Modern methods have an immense
advantage over the old in the extent and variety of observations
rendered possible by improved instruments Perhaps we have not
as yet however made full use of our means in tabulating the re
sults of observations An observer in Washington city virtually
oerlooks a continent as it were from a balloon The same tele
graphic facilities which give these superior advantages enable him
at once to distribute the information over the whole country
In Georgia our climate is affected by an nnusal variety of causes
We lie between the Atlantic and the Gulf The latter is usually
perhaps though not always our weatherbreeder We lie also be
low the mountain ranges One of our problems is immense local
variations and their causes Do we not need not only weather re
cords kept for the State but in some sections numerous records for
a single county Our county agricultural clubs could perhaps ar
range so to keep such records as to throw much light on the prob
lem meanwhile the farmer who kept them will have lost nothing
in intelligence and knowledge of his affairs
AOTUAL CLIMATES OF GEORGIA
We have given already a general idea of the climate of the
State as a whole and the climates of the several sections see pages
11 and 12 From the very vaiable tables compiled by Col R JCLIMATE
41
Redding of this department we derive the following information
the result of five or six yesrs of observation
More detailed tables will be given on subsequent pages showing
the range of temperature etc at specific localities
Table of Temperature and Rainfall in Georgia 18781883
TEMPERATURE
5 North Georgia Middle Georgia N W Georgia East Georgiii 661 657 814 661 513 S E Georgia
65 1 638 797 66 0 50 1 592 588 753 59 9 428 635 630 79 2 641 472 681 680 811 69 3 540 689 683 814
703
556

Summer Av above Winter 296 325 320 271 301 258
HAINFALL
Average Annual
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Av Elevation above Seafeet
493 602 497 473 414
124 155 137 125 103
13 4 136 126 14 5 123
110 127 90 97 96
124 184 14 5 106 92
1600 1700 760 400 125
478
100
142
141
95
100
CLIMATIC NOTESTEMPEKATURE
We observe that the average summer temperature exceeds the
average annual temperature about 15 degrees while that of winter
falls 15 degrees below the annual The spring average corre
sponds with the annual almost exactly not varying from it a half
degree and this little variation is helow the annual The fall aver
age exceeds the annual slightly being less however than one de
gree above it
Comparing the averages of the sections Southeast Georgia the
highest with an annual average of 689 exceeds Northeast Geor
gia the lowest with its average of 592 by 97 degrees The dif
ference in summer temperature is but 61 deg while that of win
ter is 128 Comparing single localities the highest annual aver
age is at Blackshear 703 deg and the lowest at ftabun Gap 56342
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
showing a difference of 14 deg Blackshear in Pierce county is
in latitude 31 15 and 127 feet above sea level and Rabun Gap
in latitude 34 55 and 2168 above sea level
The difference is in striking accord with the usual estimate of
the effect of latitude and elevation on temperature which assigns
two degrees difference in the thermometer for one degree of lati
tude and one degree of the thermometer to three hundred feet of
elevation The difference of latitude a little over three and a
half degrees wuld give 7 degrees and that of elevation 2000
feet about 7 deg together making the actual difference above ex
pressed 14 deg
Of all localities Thomson McDuffie county comes near
est the average annual temperature of the State varying from it
less than a half degree The State average 651 Thomson 647
Macon exceeds the State average 1 deg Augusta falls below it 11
deg In summer temperature Athens corresponds exactly with the
State average 797 Thomson varies very little from it 795 Au
gusta 798
Comparing winter temperature that of the State averaging 501
Swainsboro Emanuel county comes nearest this average 504
Thomson next 491 Augusta 489 Macon 513 Thus Augusta
Thomson and Macon have nearly typical average climates
RAINFALL
The highest annual average is at Rabun Gap 717 inches the
lowest at Swainsboro Emanuel county 394showing a difference
of 323 inches the annual avirage for the State being 493 Mid
dle Georgia nearly corresponds 497 The greatest fall in any sec
tion is in North Georgia 603 the least in East Georgia 414
The annual rainfall of Atlanta 49 inches is near the average of
the State
The summer rainfall is by far the most important That of the
State averages 134 inches North Georgia nearly corresponds with
136 Southwest Georgia has the greatest average summer rainfall
145 inches
Of the various stations Brunswick has the greatest average sumCLIMATE
45

raer rainfall 166 inches Americus 16 Kabun Gap 154 At
lanta among the least 1080 Rome the least 102
Such are the averages for the year and the seasons Let
next observe monthly averages
Table of Monthly Averages
us
TEMPERATURE RA1NF ALLINCHES
a5 03 A H Rabun Gap Lowest Blackshear Highest t 03 a A Rabun Gap Highest Oeechee Lowest
48 4 52 7 574 64 5 724 779 818 793 750 675 55 4 490 395 432 462 56 2 630 70 2 73 6 714 665 596 465 404 557 665 62 4 687 754 800 842 825 80 2 742 650 553 463 3 57 4 91 4 75 272 400 4 13 5 31 445 337 320 423 709 706 786 575 441 5 71 384 589 606 696 490 609 3 47
265
370 1 93
405 222
July 2 87
3 92
6 97
4 49
180
373

411 4928 600 7171 347
Annua1 Average 651 563 703 4135
NOTES ON THE TABLE
The months as to average temperature show the following or
der 1 January 484 deg 2 December 49 3 February 527
4 November 554 5 March 574 6 April 615 the monthly
average of April being nearest the annual average temperature
7 October 675 8 May 72 4 9 September 75 10 June
779 11 August 793 12 July 818
They divide off as to nearly equal averages thus 1 January
and December 2 February and November 3 March April and
October make a triplet 4 May and September 5 June August
and July another triplet
As to Rainfall in the State the order of monthly rainfall is as
follows 1 August 531 inches 2 March 491 3 April 475
4 January 463 5 September 145 6 December 423 7
July 413 8 June 4 9 February 357 10 October 33744
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
11 November 320 12 May 272 Occasionally June ranks
much higher being one of the most rainy months
The least autumn rainfall September October and November
reported is in Macon 710 LiGrange 788 The least July fall
Eome 251 The greatest average autumn fall Rabun Gap 1801
The greatest July average fall Americns 580
These are the averages of five or six years The data preserved
by the Department of Agriculture are of great value Anything
which contributes to our reasonable foresight of the probabilities
of rainfall affects the most important condition of all agriculture
Foresight of temperature changes though not of fully equal im
portance to the crops is also of great utility
It is surprising to see the remarkable and reliable changes in tem
perature exhibited as we study the tables We have put upon a
map of Georgia the exact figures derived from Col Beddings ta
bles They correspond with much accuracy to what we would ex
pect as to annual and monthly averages As we come south there
is a gradual increase of a degree or two as we come lo a lower el
evation a like increase of a degree or two and when we lessen
both factors latitude and elevation the change is made with cor
responding rapidity Start with Rabun Gap 395 in January
Leo a few hundred feet lower shows 41 S Gainesville 438 As
we come down Athens 449 LaGrange 456 Thomson 469 Ma
con 505 Americus 516 Brunswick 541 Thus does the range
creep up So with the months January 41 February 45 March
0 April 59 May 66 June 73 July 77the maximum then
as gradual a decline It is like the effect of time showing rhe age
of a manwhile gradual it is sure Age sprinkles its snows with
considerable impartiality and so it is too with climatic conditions
they seem to follow a law
The rainfall is more variable and its conditions while even more
important than temperature are less understood and less capable
of prediction
To illustrate the annual monthly and daily range take the ob
servations of the Signal Service office in AtlantaCLIMATE 45
Highest Lowest Range
1882 Annual 932 115 817
Monthly 525
Daily average 15
Sunrise usually marks the lowest point 2 p m nearly the high
est The extreme range for a term of years would be from about
110 or 115 in the Okefenokee Swamp to perhaps 20 below zero in
the mountains of Northeast Georgia aggregate range 135 deg
In January 1S79 the greatest range in twentyrfour hours was
29 deg the least 6 mean about 15 The highest point was 73
the lowest 9 range 64 In 1879 highest 97 lowest 9 range 88
Mr A R McCutchen instituted an interesting observation com
paring the climate of the table laud of Pigeon mountain in county
to that of the valley four miles off and 1000 feet lower with the
following result July 1880
Place Elevation Max Min Mean Daily range
Dry Creek Valley 967 95 61 774 16
Pigeon Mountain 1968 88 63 744 104
Difference 1001 7 2 3 54
Observe the climate on the mountain is more uniform the ex
treme heat less and also the extreme cold and the daily rane H
deg less
Variations of temperature are illustrated thus in Washington
Middle Georgia 8 a m
Year Month Highest Lowest Range
1863 December57 23 34
1864 January 44 8 36
November66 16 40
1865 January40 19 21
1864Very cool summer sleet in April June 13th 14th and
15th fires needed in July at or below 75 deg fifteen times
December 7th 73 deg at noon 18th 69 deg
1865January 23d near 70 at noon a delightful week after
this August 69 to 76 deg September 56 to 60 deg very cool46 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Table Showing Monthly Changes of Temperature
PLACE DATE HIGHEST DEGREE LOWEST
Year Month 7 A M 2 P M 9 P M 7 AM 2 r m 9 P M
1881 Julv Jnnuay July Janury July Janu ry July Janury July Janury July Janury July 76 46 76 51 85 49 69 51 86 52 85 61 85 96 62 99 53 93 59 90 62 103 65 99 68 98 78 53 77 56 13 64 15 70 18 53 16 70 25 66 30 73 75 30 72 20 73 28 69 26 79 34 80 39 78 60
20
1881 1881 1881 1881 1881 61

51 83 60 90 55 91 GO 91 246
64 26
70 20
70
35 76

Table of Diurnal Changes
PLACE
Ellersie on Lookout Mountain
Rsbun Gap
Dry Creek Valley
Pigeon Mountain
Rome
Gainesville
Macon
Brunswick
Date
Year
1880
1880
1880
1880
1880
1880
1880
1880
Month
f January
iJiy
j January
I July
July
July
January
July
July
j January
IJuly
July
Difference bet 7 am 2 pm
Mean
7
Wi
18M
15
16
io y2
14
16
13
16
10
11
Greatest
38
27
48
31
34
25
40
31
26
45
25
25
From a valuable table furnished by Mr S C Emery the Signal
officer at Savannah we derive the following information The ob
servations embrace thirteen years from 1S72 to 1884 inclusive
The mean annual temperature for the thirteen years is 67 deg the
highest mean annual in 1879 is 691 the lowest in lt72 is 641
The highest reach of the thermometer was in July 1879 105 deg
the lowest in January 1873 and also 1884 18 deg The ther
mometer reached 100 deg seven times in the thirteen years viz
June 1830 July 1875 1876 18771879 and 1881 and August 1878
It went to 20 deg or below but three time3 The highest meanCLIMATE
47
for any month was in July 1876 the same for 1881 847 the
coolest July mean 791 The coldest January means were 1872
455 1884 46 deg The warmest January means were 1876
562 and 1880 591
The Savannah rainfall for the thirteen years shows a mean of
5243 inches The heaviest was in 1876 6483 the lightest 1881
38 The maximum monthly rainfalls were June 1876 the enor
mous amount of 1880 August 1872 1231 March 1872 1018
The least monthly fall reported November 1880 058 inch The
rainfall in the thirteen years fell six times below an inch in a
months time
MEAN ANNUAL TEMPERATURE
The Census Atlas of 1870 gives much valuable information on
this subject visible at a glance of the eye It gives Isothermal
lines for every four degrees of temperature say 40 46 48 52 and
so on
The Atlas of 1880 gives revised results for every five degrees
40 45 50 55 and so on to 75 degrees
Between these are climate belts of which in the United States
nine belts are represented
SURPRISING RESULTS
The study of these temperature maps yields some very unex
pected results illustrating the necessity of observ ition as the basis
of fact
Of the nine belts in the United States eight are represented in
Georgia so varied is our climate N other state gives the same
variety unless perhaps on the Pacific coast on the Rocky Mountain
western slope
The only belt not repr sented in Georgia is found at the very tip
of Florida and nowhere else in the Union with a mean annual tem
perature of between 75 and 80 degrees
Of the eight climates represented in Georgia the lowest in tem
perature is below 40 degrees the highest between 70 and 75 a
remarkable range unmatched east of the Mississippi river North
Carolina has the next range with six belts lacking the two highest
That South Georgia should correspond in climate with northern48
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Florida is not surprising But who would suppose that parts of
Georgia have the same climate with the most northern extreme of
Maine and the bleak northern part of Washington Territory and
the upper great lakes
A still more remarkable result is to be found in the distribution
of maximum temperature Where would one look for it Cer
tainly not in Montana Yet just here it is to be found One of
the very few spots where the maximum temperature is 110 to 115
degs is in Montana while the southern extreme of Florida shows
a maximum of between 95 and 100
So necessary is it to draw our facts not from conjecture but froirii
observation The parallel of 4 north latitude passes through the
spot in Montana with its Rocky Mountain surroundings when the
highest temperature is 110 to 115 The parallel of 25 just two
degrees above the Tropic passes through lower Florida with no
elevation above the sea and yet a maximum of 95 to 100
It takes actual experience to appreciate the enormous difference
when one is near the edge of possible endurance of heat At 110
to 115 one needs blankets to keep the heat out as becomes neces
sary in the hot winds of the desert It is 10 degrees higher than
the heat of south Georgia 15 than that of south Florida with the
moderating influence of the sea
We see therefore in Georgia a range of climate extending from
below 40 to above 70 of mean annual temperatureequivalent to
the average range of 15 of latitude instead of 4
A climate of below 40 is above the range of treesonly shiubs
appear The mountain peaks have acquired the name of balds
the Rabun bald the Brasstown bald etc On these summits arctie
insects are found Such is the reign of law Of this belt Georgia
has but a bare patch however extending into North Carolina It
does not ajpear even among the Virginia mountains though
we should certainly expect it there Spots of it are found in Ore
gon Washington Territory and in the northern tip of Maine
The Adirondacks the Green and White Mountains and the Rocky
Mountains 6how patches of it scattered sparsely here and there
only chiefly in the far north as on the border of Lake Superior
LEGEND
Below
58 to 62C
2j 62 to i
66 to 70
Over 70
TEMPERATURE
MAP
OF
GEORGIA
AUTUMN
SHOWING BY ISOTHERMAL CURVES THE
MEAN TEMPERATURE OF THE THREE
MONTHS OF SEPTEMBEROCTOBER
AND NOVEMBER
Compiled from observations made from
1874 to 1SS4 under direction of the
Commissioners of Agricultureby
R J REDDING
State Meteorologist
Dunlop Cohe PrsEngsv

0CLIMATE
49

The next zone between 40 and 45 degs of mean annual tempera
ture corresponds in climate with upper New England upper New
Fork and the mountain region of Virginia It abounds about the
great lakes and among the Rocky Mountains Of this also Geor
gia ha3 but a small share on the mountain sides below the sum
mits
Between 45 and 50 Georgia is represented somewhat more
largely this zone corresponding with considerable areas in New
Jfork Pennsylvania Ohio and so on West
The zone between 50 and 55 is still narrow in Georgia and runs
narrow strip through North Carolina and Virginia as far as
7 Jersej7
e come now to the larger areas The fine climate between 55
30 embraces a considerable region two or three times as large
1 the preceding put together This zone passes through South
rolina and North Carolina and ends in Virginia Two of the
ather stations lie in this zone Rabun Gap 2168 feet above sea
rel with a mean temperature of 563 and Ellerslie perhaps a lit
higher 2400 with a mean of 565
Nearly all Middle Georgia lies in the next zone between 60 and
L lower limit corresponds with the mean temperatnre of the
It is the Piedmont region extending into Virginia west
i it embraces upper Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas
st Tennessee and Arkansas The following stations are em
ced in it Leo 601 Rome 619 Gainesville 613 Atlanta 614
irollton 62 Oxford 626 Athens 63 Augusta 64 LaGrange 641
1 Thomson 64 7 Southern Georgia occupies chiefly the zone
ween 65 and 70 of mean annual temperature Its climate cor
ipond l vith that of lower Texas Louisiana Mississippi and upper
orida It embraces the following stations Macon 661 Swains
ro 67 Ogeechee 673 Nashville 679 Cuthbert 681 Americus
2 Walthourville 676 and Brunswick 687 Blackshear Pierce
ounty alone of the stations touches the next zone with a temper
ature of 703
On the whole the map of the mean annual temperature of Geor
gia is very spotted The isothermal lines limiting them vary widely5
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
from parallels of latitude running northeast along the axis of the
mountain ranges the factors bending them up an elevation and
slope to or from the sun Hence they run north more abruptly on
the western and shaded side than on the eastern slope The lines of
temperature bend round the mountains
There is in the climatic zones a reasonable approximation to the
hypsometric areas and population the climate being affected more
arely by the elevation than by the difference of latitude
JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE
Georsia has on the Census Map but two broad belts The Iso
thermafline of 80 July temperature running just above Augusta
and Macon to West Point Above this the temperature is given as
between 75 and 80 below it as between 80 and 85 The upper
part embraces nearly all of North and Middle Georgia The lower
nearly all Southwest East and Southeast Georgia The upper cor
responds with Virginia Kentucky lower Illinois Missouri Ten
nessee North Carolina and South Carolina The lower with lower
Kansas the Indian Territory Arkansas Texas Mississippi Louis
iana West Tennessee and Northwest Alabama The July mean
temperature for the State is 818
The table kept for the Department of Agriculture gives a somewhat
nicer division making two added zones The July zone between
70 and 75 is represented by Rabun Gap 736 and Ellerslie 45
Between 75 and 80 are Stations Gainesville 786 Lee 7S 9 Atlanta
797fewer stations than the Census Map would give Bet een
80 and 85 they are much more numerous embracing all the nther
stations save one viz Rome 803 Carrolton 806 Oxford 81 Nash
ville 818 Augusta 819 Athens 82 Newnan 82 2 LiGr ge 829
Walthonrville 829 Macon 83 Americus 832 Brunswick 33
Ogeechee 835 Cuthbert 838 and Blackshear 812 The one sta
tion Swainsboro has the July temperature of the next zone over 85
vjz 854
januarymean temperature
The Census Atlas shows four zones the Department Tables add
another making live By the census the four belts are nearlyCLIMATE
SI
equal the first with a January temperature of 35 to 60 degrees
embracing North Georgia with approximate accuracy and running
northeast into Sonth Carolina and Virginia Northwest into
Tennessee and Kentucky Between 40 and 45 the larger part of
Middle Georgia corresponding with South Carolina and North
Carolina but scarcely reaching Virginia The next zone between
45 and 52 slopes less to the northeast It embraces about one
fourth of the State The fourth zone embraces central partsthe
Southern section By the Department Reports Blackshear 557 is
in a fifth zone
The following stations are embraced in the several zones
In the coldest Ellerslie 384 Rabun Gap 3J5
2Lee 418 Rome 428 Atlanta 431 Carrollton 431 Gaines
ville 433 Oxford 439
3LaGrange 456 Newnan 569 Augusta 469 Swansboro 474
4Macon 52 5 Cuthbert 514 Americus 516 Nashville 52
Walthourville 526 Brunswick 541 Ogeechee 543
5Blackshear 557
The mean January weather for the State is 4S4
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE
Georgia exhibits on the Census Map but two belts of maximum
temperature 1 Between 95 and 100 2 Between 100 and 105
maximum In the first belt North Georgia lies The Isothermal
line between the two runs almost due northeast and the belt ex
tends into Maine a separate spot includes Wisconsin and part of
Iowa including New England New York Pennsylvania and Ohio
and so on down
The lower belt includes the larger part of Middle and all of South
Georgia It extends Northeast to include Connecticut and all the
Coast Line New Jersey Maryland etc It embraces a sweeping
territory in the great Mississippi Valley including as far up as Da
kota Iowa Michigan Illinois and Indiana and so down
No part of Georgia is embraced in the zone between 105 and 110
yet Maryland Texas and New Mexico are in it and strange to say
Montana Nebraska and Kansas Between 110 and 115 no part of

21859752
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Georgia but a spot in Montana and spots in Idaho and Nevada and
Arizona Above 115 spots are in Arizona and South California
STATIONS IN GEORGIA
In 1881 the maximum points were as follows all occurring in
February LiGrange 103 Macon 99 Brunswick 98 Tallulah 96
Ellenlie 93
In 1879 in Savannah in July the thermometer reached 105
MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
Four zones are represented in Georgia From 10 to 21 below
zero in Northeast Georgia reaching north into Virginia
Ohio etc and embracing the intermediate States in the zone
From zero to 10 above the rest of North Georgia is inclnded
Between zero and 10 fully twothirds of the State lies and a narrow
strip in Florida and coast to between 10 and 20
STATIONS IN GEORGIA
In 1881 January the lowest report at Rabun Gap was 13 EL
lerslie 15 Gainesville 18 LaGrange 16 Savannah in January 1873
and 1884 18 degrees
NOTES ON MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
The variations from mean temperature in Georgia extend down
ward towards lower temperature more than upward Thus the
mean being 65 the extreme heat at 105 varies from the mean by 40
degrees the extreme cold about 15 degrees below zero varies from
the mean about SO degreestwice as much as the variation in the
other direction
This rule of varying down rather than up from the mean seems
to be general Even in Dakota for example the mean tempera
ture being about 40 Foreigners prefer a belt five degrees colder
than natives and colored people a belt 10 degrees colder than native
whites and 15 degrees colder than foreigners
JULY TEMPERATURE
The densest total population and foreign population are both in
the belt between the Isothermal lines of 70 and 75 degree The
colored between 80 and 85 10 degrees higherCLIMATE
53
JANUARY TEMPERATURE
The densest total and foreign are in the belt between 20 and 25
degrees the colored much higher between 45 and 50 being 25
degrees higher 40 and 45 degrees with nearly onefourth of the
population In Georgia the most populous belts arc of a higher
range by 10 degrees viz the most populous between 60 and 65
and next to it the 5 degrees between 55 and 60
The tendency of the foreign population is towards the colder
climates that of the colored towards the warmer Thus of the
aggregate population the belt between 50 and 55 is most densely
settled by the foreign people that between 45 and 52 of the col
ored that between 60 and 65 the maximum is 105 difference 65
the minimum is 50 below zero difference downward 85 degrees
25 more than the variation from mean temperature upward
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION ACCORDING TO TEMPERATURE
MEAN ANNUAL TEMPERATURE
In the United States a range of 10 degrees will cover threefifths
of the population viz that between 45 and 55 The belt of five
degrees between 50 and 55 is the most populous embracing about
one third of the whole Next is that between
RAINFALL
The rainfall for twelve months it is estimated would cover the
earths surface at the equator 10 feet deep at the tropics 6 feet
in Georgia 4 feet at 45 degrees latitute 3 feet at the poles 1
foot
The rainfall on an acre of ground is enormous in bulk and
weight An inch of rain on an acre would weigh 270000 pounds
or 135 tons To haul it would require about 100 two horse wagon
loads The natural supply in Georgia averages about 50 inches
and it would require about ten loads a day every day in the year to
replace the prodigality with which nature furnishes us gratuitously
The distribution of rain is more important than the quantity
which falls and the summer rainfall is by far the most important54
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Mean
Macon54 9
Atlanta532
Max
691
601
Min
503
499
The annual rainfall for five years in Macon and Atlanta is given
below for the years 18711875 inclusive
Month Max
Sept 1871 12
April 1874 104
The summer rains in Athens Georgia for same years were as
follows 1873 894 inches 18741176 18751297 18761977
In June 1876 in Savannah 188 inches fell
The following table shows the summer rainfall for certain years
and also its distribution
SUMMER RAINFALL
ATLANTA GA WASHINGTON GA
1882 1863 1864
0 a c S tb 1 02 5 3 is CO 3 0 B 3 11 1 3 5
1 2 3 4 5 23 12 01 84 105 20 04 26 4 5 2 1
13 180 97
6 5 8 3
5 2 2 1 3 2 2 3 4
5
6 7 6
36 01 01 61 15 06 01 15 24 01 30 03 04 25 14 83 04 01 36 40 230 03 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 2 8
5 9 4 9
070 2 5 6 3 6 10
11
2 12
06 1 12 13
14
145 10 43 07 3 15
16 8 16
17 18 19 04 54 45 4 9 4 5 8 6 17
18
5 3 4 19
20 20
21 10 65 01 63 9 3 3 21
22 23 94 07 99
23
09 139 02 08 33 20 41 5 4 6 24
25 26 97 74 39 09 25
9
9 11
28 29 30 31 47 01 8 8 4 28
02 03 53 07 04 11 7 9l
1 1 2 30
58 31

Total 302 3 22 001 5 86 351
Savannah160 795 3 53 5 23 742CLIMATE
55
NoteThe year 1S82 was one of the finest crop years ever
known in Georgia Note therefore the distribution of the rains
There were no long intervals yet no excesses It was especially
adapted to our red clay lands which have in them abundant ele
ments of fertility but need water for their solution
MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL
Classifying according to the number of inches beginning with 00
degrees and over then between 55 and 60 and so on we have six
grades represented by the following stations in Col Beddings
report viz
1 Over 60 inches Rabun Gap 717 Ellerslie 61 Lee 63 rep
resenting a small mountain district only
2 Between 55 and 60 inches no stations
3 Between 50 and 55 inches Gainesville 55 Athens 55
Carrollton 53 Savannah 52 Oxford 51 Blackshear 51 rep
resenting perhaps 15 per cent of the area of the State
4 Between 45 and 50 inches Atlanta 49 Cuthbert 49 La
Grange 49 Rome 47 Brunswick 47 Americus 47 Nashville
46 representing perhaps 30 per cent of Georgia
5 Between 40 and 45 inches Macon 45 Thomson 45 Wal
thourville 45 Augusta 43 Ogeechee 41 representing about
half the State
6 Between 35 and 40 inches Greensboro alone 39
These observations enable us to correct the Census Atlas which
gives but three grades No grade is given for over 60 inches
The grade between 50 and 55 is overstated and no grade below
45 The general result shows less annual rainfall than is repre
sented in the Census Atlas
The rainfall of Georgia even after this reduction is still consid
erably above the average rainfall of the United State even east
of the Mississippi river the Eastern rainfall far exceeding the
Western56
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
TABLF OF MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL
Per cent of Area Population per Square Mile
Inches United States Georgia United States Georgia
1 over 60 2 55 to 60 3 50 to 55 4 45 to 50 5 40 to 45 6 35 to 40 562 860 25 43 2264 2000 1 3 15 30 50 1 20 22 58 40 39 30 35 35 22 12
SUMMER RAINFALL
The average for the State being 1344 the variations in sections
are not wide The lowest station is Rome1018 inches the high
est Barnesville1657 The quantity is everywhere abundant the
only needful condition being its proper distribution
WEATHER NOTES
The following notes are not given because they can lay claim to
any completeness but rather as a rough start intended as a nucleus
about which other information may begin to gather
HEAT AND COLD
1757In Savannah 102 deg
1816 Noted as the cold summer
18278Warm winter Cotton rattooned but did not bear well
1835Cold winter
1839Cool summer
18423Winter mild till February then very cold five snows in
March
1S44Cool summer
1845July 4 Crawfordville 98 deg Cambridge Mass 105 deg
1851January 21 in Crawfordville 3 deg in Athens 7 deg Snow
eight inches ground frozen ten inches
18512Mild winter Cotton blooms and some yields after Christ
mas

LEGEND
8 10 12 Inches
12 lo 16 Inches
16 to 20 Inches
Over 20 Indies
RAIN MAP
GEORGIA
WINTER
SHOWING BY ISOTHYETAL CURVES THE
MEAN PRECIPITATION OF RAIN AND
MELTED SNOW FOR THE MOFTHS
OF DEC JAN AND FEB
Compiled from observations made from
1874 to 1884 under direction of the
Commissioner ol Agriculture
R J REDIUNU
State Meteorologist
Ens
LCLIMATE
57
1854Hot summer
February 8 Cold Saturday Washington Ga 4 degrees
below zero Crawfordville 8 deg below Athens 10 deg
The coldest season for one hundred years At the North
the mercury froze in many places In Liberty county
fig trees nearly 100 years old were killedthis a test
for 100 years Many persons were frozen Dr Poullain
of Greensboro refers to a visit from Judge Longstreet at
this time nearly frozen and too cold for an hour to join
the family at supper In March deep snow 8 inches in
Western Georgia
1837May 29 Hard storm in Wilkes hail lay on the ground in
spots twelve days
1855April 19 Lexington 97 deg92 at dark Hottest day of
the year May 910 50 deg cool week June 34 59 57
1857January 19 Washington Ga deg New York city 18
1858July 19 Washington Ga 99 deg 10 p m 90 deg
159Hot summer 97103 deg Winter pleasant
1860July 12 Crawfordville 102 deg Mild winter
1862Hot August
1863Cool June
1865Pleasant winter Warm Christmas
1866February 15 4 deg
1871January 22 68 deg at sun down February 12 64 degrees at
9 pm March 7 78 deg August 5 98J deg December 25
74 deg 26th 75 deg
1872April 29 89 deg
1873Hot summer Hot days in April
1875November 1578 deg at noon November 16 80 deg at 7 a m
Fell at night to 38 deg 42 deg November 17th ice 19th
70 deg 20th 77 deg 21st 75 deg
1876January 21st 71 deg 13th 20 deg 23d 74 deg at 5 p m
EXCESSIVE RAINS AND FEESHETS
1796The Yazoo freshet
1817A wet year
1840Freshet in May and Septemberthe latter called the Harri
son freshet Water at Augusta bridge 37 feet 10 inches
above low water58
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Athens bridge carried
1847Wet year Also 1848
1851April freshet
1852August 18th Augusta bridge 375
away
1864June freshet
1865January 710 freshet
DROUGHTS AND DRY YEARS
1818Excessive drought Cotton 32 cents
1830 1838Dry years
1839Excessive drought with heat yet a fine crop made Rains
began July 5th Stalks of corn low ears bending over
reached the ground Savannah river at Augusta so low a
man could cross it by leaping from rock to rock Mr Shultz
planted and raised turnips in the bed of the river Drought
did not break up till March 1840 probably in the opinion
of Hon A H Stephens not 3 inches of rain from May till
October yet this well timed and crops of corn and cotton
both remarkable Yellow fever in Augusta
1845Dry yet good crop year
1860Dry spring till April 16
1861Drought in McDuffie county 90 days
8661 1869Dry years
DEEP SNOWS
1775November 25 Snow IS inches
1835February and March much snowone 8 inches deep
1846Great sleet
18467Much snow
1849April 15 Sleet killed corn and wheat yet good crop made
1851Snow 8 inches
1856January Hail some four or five weeks on ground
1857Hail storm some twelve days on ground
1864Sleet in April
1876 March 20 Sleet Leaves killed on trees
1882 Snow 8 inches deep at Barnett 10
STORMS
18041822
1856On coastCLIMATE
59
1868Storm in Madison Ga and in an hour in Washington Ga
1875Cyclones The first great cyclone March 20 entered Georgia
in Harris county above Columbus and passing near Mil
ledgeville and Sparta struck Camak and left the State a lit
tle North of Augusta passing across the State in about three
hours The second cyclone pursued quite a similar path
The storm of 1804 is said to have followed a like course about
10 miles from same track
EARLY AND LATE FROSTS
1803May Cotton killed
1813Frost nearly every month
1828 April 6th 26 deg Corn killed
1848Frost May 8
1849April 15 sleet
1851Frost May 6
1856May 10 frost
1857April 6 sleet May 5 frost
1859April 6 ice
1872October 15 killing frost
SOME GOOD AND BAD CROP YEARS
1839
Good so 1842 1843 1845 1848 1852 1855 1858 First rust
ing of oats in Georgia
1860Best cotton crop to that date
1862Best wheat crop 1867 18701874
1882Best general cropcotton corn small grain vegetables
fruits etc Summer rainfall 15 inches Bad years 1818
1866 1883
CERTAIN OTHER DATES
1835 Meteors
1817 1839 1854 1874 yellow fever years
FRUITS ETC1865
April 16 Forest leaves about twothirds grown
May 2 Strawberries late Sometimes ripe 25th March
15th raspberries 27th cherries 29th plums6o
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
June 1 Wheat cutting 12th figs ripe 27th peaches
July 5 Chinese clings ripe 7th97deg 29th Celestial figs
September 21st a perfect day
October 25th red leaves on black gum December 3d one
late fig
SOME CROP NOTES1868
Washington GaMarch 11 12 13 severe cold Corn plant
ing begun
April 6 cotton planting 8 frost 13 very cold Rain for
ten days
23 planting renewed 278 rain again Rust in wheat
May 7 Tornado narrow track 9th 48 deg at noon Rust
bad
June 2 Wheat cutting 4 cotton nine inches high 25
first peach 26 first cotton blows Dry month
1868July 1 Best cotton thirty inches highaverage eight or ten
23 Celestial figs 28 cotton pruning best stalks 45 to
75 forms
August 4 Second crop figs 15th cotton bolls dry 24th
after rain cotton forming
September 18 No of bolls on five yards of a row of cotton
counted in thirteen places average number 20040 to a
running yard
October 234 Slight frost
November 2 Ice
1869Dry year Protracted local drouths
1870A splendid crop year
March 25 to April 4 rain stops work
April 8 First cotton planted 9th rain stops work
May 12 Best cotton 3 inches high four leaves 17th 5J
inches high six leaves 26th first squares on cotton
June 8 Highest stalk fourteen inches cotton average four
or five inches Corn eighteen inches 10th cotton grow
ing average six inches high 15th corn and cotton roots
examinedthey fill the whole bed 16th best cotton
twenty four inches high 21st best stalks have twelve
or fifteen squares 22d preserving blackberries Figs
ripe 23d first roasting ears First cotton blows 29th bestCLIMATE
61
stalks thirtyfour inches high fiftyfour squares two or
three blows average cotton ten or twelve inches Marked
a cotton blow it became an open boll in thirtyeight days
August 6 3d cut corn forage
July 1 On dinner table common Irish potatoes snap beans
beets onions and okra 2d figs 4th average cotton
twelve or fourteen inches some stalks fifty to eighty
squares hoeing up by 6th bloom marked opened in
thirtynine days August 14 9th cotton boll weighing
half an ounce 10th first katydid 12th cotton boll
twothirds oz average stalks twenty to twentytwo inches
best 100 to 120 squares 14th fine peaches 16thItalian
figs 18th 175 squares on one stalk 216 on another 25th
93 deg some green bolls 26th 94 deg 28th highly
manured cotton needs rain 94 deg in Porch 96 deg in
Basement 88 in Sumter 130 deg
August 6th first open boll 12th good stalks in average rows
15 to 25 green bolls 15th fodder pulling 22d cotton
opening blow marked July 5 opened in fortyeight days
29th rust on cotton stalk manured cotton needs rain
31st hot weather injures cotton one stalk with nine bolls
20 dead forms
COMPARATIVE CLIMATE
Upon the climate of the cotton states Georgia being one of
them some useful comments are made by Dr Barber in his vol
ume entitled The Cotton Question The cotton States lie in
the warm zone with a mean annual temperature of between 60 and
70 degrees The climate west of the Alleghanies is about 3 de
grees warmer than in the corresponding latitude eaBt of the moun
tains This arises from the warm winds of theGulf coming unob
structed up the Mississippi basin
The annual range of climate between the warmest weather and
the coldest is greatest on the coast and decreases as you go into
the interior It is given as follows viz At Vera Cruz 12
degrees Mobile 27 Galveston 29 New Orleans 30 Savan
nah 3175 Charleston 31 In the interior it is greater Vicks
burg 315 Natchez 327 Augusta 36 Columbia 38 So fan
Dr Barbers observations62
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
In Georgia the average range is between 484 and 818 i e
334 At Rome it is greatest 375 In Southeast Georgia least
294 Georgia summers range from 75 to 95 winters from 40 to
66 The summer climate is enlivened by breezes
On the climate of our sister State of South Carolina val
uable tables are furnished in the manual for that State The
annual mean temperature is given at 65 degrees the same as in
Georgia We append a brief summary of the results of observa
tions made for a series of years Highest temperature recorded
1879 104 degrees lowest 18852 degrees Summer mean 76
degrees winter 54
By reason of difference of latitude there should be a difference
of two or three degrees in the mean State temperature of Georgia
and South Carolina More records have been preserved however
in lower South Carolina than in the upper parts of the State
RAINFALL IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Highest Mean Lowest
Annual 5077
Spring 2657 996 248
Summer 3134 1590 6 11
Fall 2716 1553 480
Winter 1636 899 373
Number of days 150 86 30
Barometer30794 30097 28812
The prevailing winds are southwest for 21 out of 26 years In
that period 1 year north west 1 year northeast 1 year east and 2
years south winds prevailed
In a considerable number of years of observation the average
period of the latest spring frost was about April 10 the earliest
cessation of frost March 23 1862 The average of fall frost
October 25 the latest November 23 1846
The average interval between last spring fro3t and earliest fall
frost 198 days longest interval 255 days
The South Carolina tables are well worth our study extending
over a considerable period not embraced in our own and with great
similarity of climateCLIMATE
63
ISOTHERMS
The isotherm of 65 degrees mean annnual temperature which
passes nearly centrally through Georgia runs level almost like a
parallel of latitude near 32J degrees
The isotherm of 60 degreesthat of North Georgiacurves
around the mountains and clasps them in form like a capital letter
U with the lowest part in Georgia It passes near Norfolk Vir
ginia Raleigh North Carolina Greenville South Carolina and
Atlanta Georgia near Nashville and Memphis Tennessee and
reaches the Pacific in latitude 34 On the other cont nent it passes
through Spain Italy and Greece in Europe Syria Persia Thibet
and China in Asia
The most important however of all the isotherms to us is that
of July temperature the mean for July in Georgia being 82
degrees nearly The Augusta summer climate is near the average
for the State This passes near ancient Carthage above Egypt
into Palestine We have the summer clime of Palestine the Holy
Land and of Jerusalem the sacred city the winter climate of
Rome
COMPARISON WITH MORE DISTANT PLACES
The latitude of Snchow China corresponds with that of lower
Georgia say of Darien It is 31 25 23 Irs elevation is about
500 or 600 feet and it is some hundreds of miles inland A
very intelligent lady missionary a native of Middle Georgia
returned from China gives some particulars concerning the climate
of Suchow The temperature of a summer day is usually from 80
to 93degrees of a summer night 60 to 70 that of a winter day
40 to 60 a winter night 36 to 45 Changes are violent and sud
den The Southwest monsoon tempers the heat but induces a
strange debility Exposure to the sun is injurious and sickening
The east winds in winter are penetrating and cold Snow falls
often but does not remain long In May occurs the yellow
mould season when everything becomes excessively damp and
sticky64
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
COMPARISON WITH A TROPICAL CLIMATE
Bombay lies in latitude 1857 north The mean temperature is
80 degrees maximum 100 minimum 70 The mean rainfall is
80 inches maximum 100 minimum 51 inches Nearly all the
rain falls in four months June July August and September the
rainy season about 2 inches in October not 1 inch in all the other
7 months The following table compares its monthly mean tem
perature and rainfall with that of Georgia
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annul
Mean Temperature
Bombay
7538
7586
7916
8438
8672
7910
7736
7736
8078
8114
7916
7586
7936
Georgia
484
527
574
645
724
779
818
793
750
675
554
490
Rainfall
Bombay
003
001
001
002
041
2202
2269
1310
947
201
027
009
6738
Georgia
463
357
491
475
272
400
413
531
445
337
320
423
4928
From the Popular Science Monthly February 1885
Note the compensation caused by the rainy season In May the
mean being 8672 it drops in June to 7916 not much above the
June temperature of Georgia and in July and August below our
mean As the rains slacken in September the thermometer rises
again above 80 degrees but all the hot months are tempered
The rainfall of the year quoted was below the average Still the
rainfall in June was nearly as great as our whole spring and sum
mer rainfallthe fall of six months In three months June July
and August rainfall was 5781 largely exceeding ours for twelve
months
GREAT BRITAIN
The Gulf stream so tempers the winter climate of Great Britain
that the winter isotherm of North Georgia latitude 31 is but aLEGEND
2 Below 56
i 56 to 60
60 U 64
H 64 to 68
68 and over
TEMPERATURE
MAP
GEORGIA
ANNUAL
BHOWJKG BY ISOTHERMAL UUltVKS TIIK
MEAN TEMPERATURE FOK TBK YEAR
Compiled from observations made from
1874 to 1884 under direction of the
Commissioner of Agriculture
BT
K J REDDING
State Meteorologist
I lunlop CohenPrs EngsLEGEND
low 44 incite
44 to 4S inches
48 to 52 inches
2 to 54 inches
4 to 64 inches
64 to 68 inches
Over 72 inches
RAIN MAP
GEORGIA
ANNUAL
SHOWING BY ISOTHYETAL CURVES
THE MEAN PRECIPITATION OF
RAIN AND MELTED SNOW
FOR THE YEAR
Compiled from observations made
from 1874 to 1SS4 under direc
tion of the Commissioner
of Agriculture by
J R REDDING
State Meteorologist
Dunlop Cohen Pre Enga
CLIMATE
65
little above that of England latitude 52 The mean annual
therm of 50 degrees passes through England and Ireland
passes also through North Georgia
ISO
It
L
SOUTHERN EUROPE ETC
The mean annual isotherm of 59 degrees passes through upper
Georgia and along the upper boundary of Spain and the lower of
France also through upper Italy and above Greece That of 68
degrees through Southern Georgia and the Bombay States into
Syria Persia Thibet and China
PRACTICAL POINTS

A
i
4
I
We have much to do with the weather and the weather with us
It is as allembracing as space itself In it we live move and have
our being To be able to anticipate it therefore would be of incal
culable service to mankind If we could not adapt the weather to
us we could at least adopt ouselves to it What endless uses such
foresight would subserve especially to those engaged in outofdoor
industries and these in Georgia exceed threefourths of all the
working people Hence our weather bureau bringing all the ap
pliances of science to bear in the effort to predict the weather
even a day or two ahead If we could but foretell a season in ad
vance what a change it would work for good in our provision for
rain and for drouth for frost and for heat Now we watch to see
whether our oat crop will be frozen again in the fall whether it
will come up We watch for the fruit in the spring and wait in
the summer and fall for the early and the latter rain
The freedmen of the South are often good judges of the weather
by reason of their outofdoor life even as were the shepherds of
the East judges of the weather signs and of the stars the first as
tronomers The freedmen in like manner know the hours of the
night by the moon and stars and are equal to clocks in knowing
when 12 oclock comes Their minds are not speculative so they
watch these signs
5
66
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
WEATHER PROVERBS
arc very common but usually of merely local adaptation One set
of proverbs was brougbt from England to New England and Vir
ginia then were brought to Georgia and carried from Georgia
west but they are not correct for the altered local conditions They
are the wisdom of a different region So limited with ns is their
range that we have wet and dry streaks in the same county and
neighborhood
The Scripture proverbs really suit us the signs of the weather
times better than the English Every slope differs The proverbs
of the Atlantic and Gulf slopes vary In Texas a new comer is
green in many ways but in none more so than as regards the
weather His predictions and expectations excite laughter
Our winter and summer signs differ The northwest is our clear
ing point in winter and usually it clears off cold yet a warm rain
is often followed by cold and a cold rain by warm weather A
clearing in the night lasts a short time onlyat noon or sundown
it is more permanent When at the first of a season it clears off
cold it is apt to continue to clear off cold so when it starts with a
warm clearing that is apt to continue In the summer after a
drouth northeast winds and cloudy weather often last a long time
without rain There seems to be a diurnal struggle between sun
and rain and the sun is victor In summer if the wind rises too
soon before two oclock the sun will get the better of it and there
will be no rain A south wind for twelve hours usually brings rain
Northeast winds in the winter were formerly a more sure sign of
rain than now There is a proverb generally truethree white
frosts and then a rain A dry or wet streak usually lasts for some
time fail of the first rain and fail of several or all
The freedmen have some quaint proverbs One is to the effect
that a bright first day of February will not last When the bear
and the groundhog come out on the first day of February and see
their own shadows they get scared and hide again for forty days
Another freedmane proverb If the sun rises clear but puts on
his night cap again before breakfast it will rain before dinner
The best sign for rain is sheet lightning in the north We unCLIMATE 67
derstand that in parts of Kentucky it is sheet lightning in the south
Distant lightning is the surer sort when no cloud is visible We
might multiply proverbs but the object of the chapter protracted
as it is is rather to serve as a start and nucleus around which to
gather the information now scattered in the State Weather notes
are to be found indiaries or in the memories of old men which
would be of value if collected
SUITABLENESS OF THE CLIMATE TO MAN
The climate suits all the races It has been tested by three the
red man the white and the black There is no reason why it
should not suit the yellow man also being in the same latitude
with China The Cherokees and the Creeks were fine specimens
of their race above the average aboriginal Americans in develop
ment physical and mental and perhaps also moral The blacks
certainly multiply and thrive and improve here in numbers intel
ligence and character Of the whites we need not speak they
have been well represented in the history of the country in earlier
and later times alike The South has supplied her full quota of
presidents and of the leading and guiding intellects of the coun
try Two of the great trio of a half century ago were her sons
Nor has our own State been behind others in influence in the
national councils or in the management of her own affairs
Perhaps indeed albeit somewhat proud of our land we do not
fully appreciate its great natural advantages It is of the very
latitude and clime associated most closely with primitive man
with the birthplace of the race The country is of the same char
acter with the Holy Land Syria Persia and further east with the
original habitat of the Aryan race This greatest of primitive
stocks had in this latitude its cradle and became the mother of the
three greatest peoples of history the Greeks Romans and Teutons
In this climate are the ancient cities of Jerusalem and Damas
cus Babylon and Nineveh Alexandria and Carthage These are
the parallels of the earliest monuments and eaniest associations
the birthplace of history of the highest civilization and the
development of man It is the region of which Professor Draper
says in his History of the Civil War in America No climate or68
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
zone on the face of the earth has produced greater men or more
profoundly affected the course of human affairs If there be a
geographical band of which the inhabitants have completely deliv
ered down their annals to succeeding generations a band that
deserves the title of the Historical this is it
Indeed the kindness of nature has only stopped short of prodi
gality Our favored clime closely resembles that described in Holy
Writ of which Moses gave so tempting a description to the hesi
tating Israelites A good land a land of brooks of water of
fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills a land
of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates a
land of oil olive and honey a land of corn and wine and oil
which drinketh water of the rain of heaven a land which God
careth for and sendeth the rain in his season a Jand wherein thou
shalt eat bread without scarceness a land whose stones are iron
and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass
The picture intended for the same latitude is almost a literal
one It is difficult to overstate the natural advantages which fit
Georgia for thousands more of abundant and happy homes
It is but natural that we should speak well of it though we do
not fully appreciate it but strangers also speak of it with high
admiration Officers of the Northern army were charmed with it
Fike in his book on South Carolina declared it an agricultural
Paradise General Dodge in Farm and Factory says il It is
a healthy and beautiful land redolent of flowers and surfeited
with wild fruits while cultivated fruits of the temperate and sub
tropical zones grow profusely with little care or cultivation The
dweller in a forest cabin can subsist in luxury on fish and flesh and
fruits with venison turkey or duck upon his table daily The
climate is so mild that his house could be constructed with a few
days labor in the primitive forest Life is rich and full and joy
ous in this sunny land
It were tedious to quote the multiplied expressions of the same
character It is like the land spoken of in the book of Judges
A place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth
or elsewhere the eyes of the Lord are always upon it from theCLIMATE
69
beginning of the year even unto the end of the year For this is
a land of the same sort spoken of in the Scriptures
Our partial failure to enjoy it and glory in it is due to that spirit
so well described by George Eliot as moral stupidity which cannot
see beauty or heroism in its own age and clime and people
Why do we not however make it more prosperous and desira
ble Why do we have hard times and poverty
We fear we must plead guilty in part at least to the offense
charged upon us by an English traveler through the South He
was shown a very fine pear of exquisite flavor a Georgia pear took
the prize above all the world some years ago at a large pomological
exhibition in Boston and was told We can raise such pears with
out any trouble Yes was his reply I do not doubt that for
from what I have seen here if they cost you any trouble you
would not have them Seeing some fine specimens of oats he
was informed they were simply sown just before the last sweeping
of cotton Oh yes thats your way scratch them in scratch them
in
We do not acknowledge this indictment in full but there is a
grain of truth in it
The writer has often thought in the summer and fall of the Bible
picture of peace where each man could sit under his own vine and
fig tree as he sat under a scnppernong covering a large square in a
garden spreading over a surface as large as a wide spreading oak
and fragrant with bushels of delicious grapes and passed in a few
paces to what a Virginia gentleman called a fig orchard doubt
ful whether the Italian or the Celestial were the most luscious
The scuppernong makes a most delicious wine The figs might
be an article of commerce if dried yet we do not take the trou
ble needful but either do without the wine or import it and buy
the figs brought across the ocean and the pears from California
We do not all do this Some take the trouble and reap the good
fruits In Middle Georgia in the fall of 1871 a fair was held and
a premium offered for the greatest variety of vegetables One
exhibitor displayed 24 vegetables It was on the lOth of Novem
ber Searching closely we afterwards found three varieties not
represented The exhibitor was General Toombs He says of this7o
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
region that after traveling much in this country and abroad he has
seen no climate better fitted for man and beast and fowl for health
and comfort abundance and variety than Middle Georgia the
heart of the State
Of the South indeed as a whole it has been well said that wide
as is the Empire of England on every continent and many of the
isles of the ocean the sun never setting on her flag the climate of
the South is on the whole the finest climate in which the English
language is spoken qS J A IN i jLji M I 11 AlLU MA Y J UAlll 1111 AUU 8K1 I LHJT NOV DKC
M p FiS i 6 e o pi asi B as S2 ICi aj ajj
STATIONS 02 a s is 3 ol P 3 a aj 32 23 a 03 P ean Te peratu ain fall Inches 2 vdp OS a T QJ eg a Sp infill 9 b 3 S 5 o m 1 a p 0m a aj O 0 P a a O P 0 3 a
X 3 0 74 o 570 614 658 440 3 o 708 280 715 OS 491 740 617 077 05 101 576 552 403 317 0 372
North Georgia 1 EllTslle 4o 38 4 r 61 M i 575 o 47 4 738
1 433 7 11 IS li 5 74 535 652 612 I 05 690 2221750445 780 362 704 557 108 347 643 27649 1 301 112 22
3 Leo White Co 4 Bab in Gap 5 Rome 1 588 41 8 i 97 46 1 643 52 1 748 591 531 663273 742402 789 111 77 M 001 705 471 622 422 490 i 35 136 III2
Ifi8 3 5 709 43 2 7 06 10 7SO 50 575 631 11702 57 750 381 11 589 00 000 590 090 405 101 III 1 OIIO
428 575 477 105 535 554619 502 702254757279 803 231 781 188 20 230 i50 321 bll 370 438 42d
412 671 454 593 505 683591 538 609 320 732 395 772 380 754 582 696 125 017 453 185 396 418 580

44 9 824 19 3 5 0s 531 646 021 484 726322 776 460 820 371 796 105 10 511 073 231 501 4191434 429
1 5 43 1 0 03 48 H 4 fil 53 4 591 015 1 05 09 4 257752 138 797 284 775 358 720 201 034 261 497 104 158 1U
43 1 5 78 48 3 5 1 54 0 084 022 5 71 090 25 1 708 315 SOO 412 778 527 717 271 049 325 511 5S5 111 49o
9 LaGrange 77f 45 o 4 07 51 4 1 04 55 090 031 4 53 724 207 7S6 129 829 327 79 b20 733 1S5 071 322 535 285107 008
38 d 5 3 33 5 8 90 591 5 SII0 18 4 39 73 4 231 789 28 830 353 Ml 2 630 7b 8 213 090 21H555 545
11 Oxford 770 13 II 4 48 19 3 495 54 3 0 12 021 5 1 7071249 764 402 810 300 781 681 729 515 050 275 525 350 450 498
531 409 130 520 314 507 558 640 427 722 2 13 778 371 822 863 784 482 7b 0 513 070 255 549 376 478 392
454 518 504 434 551 629 628 483 712 259 773 355 810 354 780 517 730 271664 268 524 359 4b9 497
1
361 51fi 3 11 50 3 7 01 1 563 684 454 754I2S7801 447 832 580 806 b69 769 346708 257 007 250 538 340
14 Cuthbert Ih 514 5 61 50 9 1 OS 599 397 OS3 038 730 280 811 380 838 135 SO 2 171 779 495 712 132596 447 535 178
520 517 129 434 507 566 270 250 029 613 370 675 443 681 1 520 537 747 246 7s7 7461271800 1 501818 443829 I 342 452 804 804 018 554 778 775 418 702 350 5S 1 420 707240596 249 312 535 535 304
371
East Georgia i
156 1 469 543 401 165 521 518 247 270 55 4SO 02V402 714 278 771 757 222 804 358 819 287 835 373 392 804 442 740 805 697776 411 059 449 000 202 538 337 lSO 1 477 344
594 503 050 105 550 373
474 283 534268 593 339 665380 760181811 385 854 299 820 402 771 555 091 279 500 324 500 402
495 283 5341262 580 404 047 396 744 227795 343 836 355 810534762 408 073 1 220 549330 511 373
Southwest Georgia
10 Blaekshear 17 55 7 fi 505 3IS 62 4 353 087 lsl 75 11328 SOO 219 SI2 lSO 825 102 SO2 888742 552650181 272
16 54 1 3 12 571 216 619288 07S425 75 1270 SO2 002 815 33S 81ll57 772 501 709 503 0OS 204 bbO 280
526 296 559 201 616 247 671 348 743257 791 120 829 542 791530 707 659 689 394 587 229 538 343
511 411 579245 620296 679 119 750287 798 100 855 522 809 100 7SII 703 713 503 615 20b 517 290
Average for the State 484 163 527357 574491 045 175724I272 779 100 818 113 7910531 70 115075 557 55 1 320 490 S3
r
72
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
STATIONS
MEAN TMPRTRE
Seasons
Noutii Georgia
Ellerslie
Gainesville
Leo White county
Kabun Gap
Rome
Average
Midple Georgia
Athens
Atlanta
Carrollton
LaGrange
Mycoo
Oxford
Thomson
Average
Southwest Georgia
Auiericus
Outhberti
Nashville
Average
East Georgia
Augusta
Oeechee
Swaiusbofo
Average
Southeast Georgia
B ackshear
Brunswick
Walthourville
Average
Average for the State
567
612
592
551
619
588
7il
767
767
717
780
753
79
775
782
802
Ml7
88
572
015
606
575
629
599
63
61
626
647
66
636
r95659
630792 641
TOTAL RAINFALL
u
3 05
o J c
c a c
a
w w

3 M
391
151
438
410
448
428
565172
612 1339
60lilS55
56SiW02
6191310
5921547
1388
1364
1477
15 14
10 IS
1357
1333
987
1326
1801
927
1274
459 630 1452 1294 960
152 614 1316 1080
153 620 1509 1254 981
479i6411350 1276 788
513 6611312 1272 7s
H1 626 14381402 938
19i 61
472635
683 813 695 539 682
673817 096 539 681
684 803 688541679
680 811 693 540681
629
669
673
688
6S4
677
033
648
798 646
815 661
828 675
814C61
822 731
815 696
804 681
814 703
797660
489 610
517 673
504 670
513 661
555 687
541 676
1228 1216 974
1304
1315
1136
1252
1596
1287
1461
1449
1160 1173
1020
900
027
863
10 II
1017
972
980
958
936
1232 958
1165 1107 1621
989 1657 1328
852 1507 1282
556 os9 1002
501 651 1238 1344 1102
1974
1807
1942
2H2I
1 168
1844
1821
1574
1586
1479
1171
1371
1136
1149
SER1KS
FROM AND TO
642
519
63111
7171
1723
6022
552
4899
5330
4893
1176
5 II
1554
4974
958 1711
1207 1853
10094623
1058 4730
992
si is
953
918
1215
814
810
946
1243
1162
39
1135
5108
1788
4 151
4783
4928
Mav 17 to May 83
April 84toTulvS4
April78 to July 4
Jan 178 to July S4
April 78 to July 84
April
Feby
April
April
April
April
April
78 to July84
76toJuly si
78 to July84
78toJuly84
8 to June82
78to luly 84
78toJulv 81
April78toJulv 84
Mar 79 O Oct 83
April78 to June84
April78toJuly 81
April78toSept si
Mav 78 to Febv 81
April7Sio Dec81
April 78toJuly 81
Apjil78to July84CHAPTER V
GEOLOGY
This manual being chiefly intended for popular use it becomes
necessary to present some preliminary general ideas in relation to
geology
In the transitions which the earth has undergone through a long
series of changes by which it was gradually reduced to the condi
tion in which we find it long periods have elapsed in the course
of which the earth has passed through conditions fitting it first
for the lower forms of vegetable and animal life in the water and
then for the higher forms of vegetable life and for the lower land
animals and so on successively culminating in mana being en
dowed with the highest intellectual capacity Each phase in
cluded much of the old with new features superadded and each
new feature surpassing the old in perfection of organism
The first appearance of dry land is supposed to have been in a
Vshaped mass in upper North America which is therefore be
lieved to be the oldest of continents although possibly among the
last to be peopled The outline of the first emerged lands pre
figured the present form of the continent This formation to
which the name of Eozoic dawn of life has been given covers a
large part of Canada and the British possessions extending into the
United States in two large arms parallel with the Pacific and At
lantic oceans One of these the most extensive along the Rocky
Mountain range the other following the Apalachian chain of moun
tains and crossing the State of Georgia terminates in Alabama
where it is overlapped and covered nonconformably by newer form
ations
In the next great period a large part of North America emerged
including Northwest Georgia This was followed in the order of
succession by the cretaceous and tertiary of the South Atlantic and
the Gulf coast region including the most recant formations74
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The geological formations have been named on more than one
principle of classification The system generally adopted is by the
relation of the strata to the life of the age as shown by the fossils
contained within the rocks The larger subdivisions in accordance
with this system are
I Archaean Including an Azoic agewithout lifeand an
Eozoic agethe dawn of life
II Silurian Age or Age of Invertebrates
III Devonian Age or Age of Fishes
IV Carboniferous Age or Age of Coal Plants
Y Mesozoic Age or Age of Peptiles
VI Tertiary Age or Age of Mammals
VII Quaternary Age or Age of Man
Each of the Ages are subdivided into Periods and the Periods
into Epochs These subdivisions are based either on minor varia
tions in the fossil remains or else on the differences in the consti
tution of the rocks and vary in different countries A formation
in separate localities may vary in the composition of its rocks as do
the ocean sediments of today
A lithologic classification or one based on the characteristics of
the rocks of which the formations are made up as it relates to their
composition and consistency is a better system for practical pur
poses and particularly so in its relation to agriculture as indicating
the kind of soil derived therefrom
That a formation has been of simultaneous deposition in every
region of its occurrence is not now generally believed The theory
that the earth has passed from some highly heated condition to its
present state carries with it the conclusion that life most probably
commenced in the polar region as there the necessary reduction of
temperature would first be reached and that it progressed from
these centers towards the Equator as t lie conditions became more fa
vorable for its existence While Silurian deposits were form
ing in some parts of the old ocean bed the Devonian may have
been in progress somewhere behind it where the environments were
fitted for a higher type of life and in this way the succession of
life would be the same for all parts of the earth while deposits
differing far in character of life may have been of syncronous oriGEOLOGY
75
gin The missing links observed in the order of life in many
localities may be accounted for by the unfitness of the condition to
sustain the new order of life leaving such areas through an epoch
in possession of the older colonies
GEOLOGY OF GEORGIA
The Geology of Georgia is a part of that which characterizes both
the Atlantic slope and the Mississippi basin including all the prin
cipal geological formations of the Apalachian and Atlantic coast
region All the larger divisions in geology are represented in the
State These beginning with the oldest are
I The Archaean in the Metamorphic of Middle and Northern
Georgia
II The Paleozoic in the Silurian Devonian and Carboniferous of
Northwest Georgia
III The Mesozoic in the Cretaceous lying south and east of
Columbus
IV Cenozoic in the Tertiary and Quarternary of Southern
Georgia
The eastern line of the State crosses the Archaean at its greatest
expansion The State also extends into the Paleozoic on the north
west and the Tertiary on the south at the points of their greatest
expansion
ARCHAEAN OR METAMORPHIC
The Metamorphic covers the larger part of the agricultural divis
ions of Middle and North Georgia The southern limit of its
exposure may be very correctly defined by a line drawn on the map
of the State from Augusta through Milledgeville and Macon to Co
lumbus This line will be found to cross each navigable stream at
the head of navigation where the rocks dipping nearly vertically
are covered by Cretaceous and Tertiary strata North of this with
the exception cf the ten counties of Northwest Georgia the forma
tion covers all the country and extends beyond the limits of the
State
When the Metamorphic is approached from either of the newer
formations a decided change is observed not only in the character
of the rocks but in the general appearance of the country and to76
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
some extent in the indigenous growths Approached from South
Georgia the change is from a rolling region of sandy lands to one of
a more broken character with a rocky or gravelly surface from
pine lands to lands covered with a growth of oak and hickory
and from a sandy region where surface rocks if any are of a rounded
or waterworn character and of small sizes to a rocky or gravelly
surface with angular pebbles or rock fragments of various sizes and
with the common occurrence of larger rock masses
In approaching the metamorphic from Northwest Georgia there
is a change from a region of parallel valleys and ridges that are
usually continuous for long distances to a generally broken country
where such distinctions are not so well defined from a limestone
to a freestone country and from one where the rocks are sandstones
limestones and shales or slates often abounding with impressions of
shells crenoids corals seaweeds or other organic remains to one
one in which the rocks are of crystalline structure with no evident
traces of organic life
The Topograyhy of the metamorphic area of the State is that of a
broken region The country gradually rises toward the North and
is generally hilly with few elevations rising to the proportion of
mountains in Middle Georgia but becoming quite mountainous in
some parts of North Georgia The country rises to the very general
level of two thousand feet above sea near the northern line of the
State with mountains of from three to five thousand feet
The formation terminates in Northwest Georgia in a bold and
rugged escarpment facing toward the west or northwest in what are
known as the Cohutta Salicoa Pine Log Allatoona and Dug Down
Mountains constituting the Cohutta range This range is two
thousand feet above the valleys of Northwest Georgia in the Cohutta
Mountains but becomes gradually lower toward the southwest un
til in the Dug Down Mountains it is only five or six hundred feet
above the valleys and the summit corresponds nearly with the gen
eral level of the country to the southwest
This feature of the range is shown by the Hyprometric map fol
lowing page 16
The Archaean has been subdivided into two principal groups the
Laurentian and the Huronian The formation has not been studied
with sufficient care in Georgia to indicate these subdivis
ions The rocks south of the Chattahoochee Ridge as well as someGEOLOGY
77
portions of the country north of this ridge correspond generally
with the lithological character of the Laurentian group and an ex
tent of country west of the Blue Ridge with that of Huronian
In the following extracts from Danas Manual are given the rocks
and minerals that are regarded as characteristic of the Lourention
group the most or all of which are common to this portion of the
metamorphic region in Georgia
Kinds of RocksThe rocks with few exceptions are metamor
phic or crystalline rocks They include granite gneiss and some
mica schists also very prominently rocks of the hornblende and
pyroxene series as syenite hornblendic gneiss and other kinds
also extensive beds of crystalline limestone Besides these there are
quartzite and conglomerate The limeandsoda feldsparcalled
labradoriteoften characterized by a beautiful play of colors is com
mon in Archaean terranes forming with a lamellar mineral related
to pyroxine or hornblende the rock hypersthenite Chrysolite a
silicate of magnesia and iron is a constituent of some hypersthe
nite and also forms with labradorite a rock called assipite occur
ring in the White Mountain region
Abundance of iron bearing minerals is a striking characteristic
of the Archasan rocks It is the cause of the frequent reddish color
of the feldspar of the granitic rocks It is apparent in the preva
lence of rocks of the hornblende series the black variety of horn
blende and pyroxine present in them containing much iron It is
especially manifested in the existence of immense beds of iron ore
which consists either of magnetite or of hematite or of tetanic iron
the last differing from the others in having a part of the iron re
placed by titanium
Another very common mineral is graphite or plumbago a
form of carbon It occurs disseminated through the rocks
especially the limestones constituting 20 to 80 per cent of some
layers which therefore are worked for the graphite It is often met
with in scales through the iron ores also in veins which afford it
in a purer state and often crystallized
There are in addition diorite epedote gneiss and schist massive
hornblende rock and hornblende schists garneteuphotide andfeld
spareuphotide soapstone rensselaerite serpentine ophiolites or
verde antique marble of different varietiess
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
HuronianThe Cohutta range of mountains contains a series of
rocks agreeing well with the lithological character of the Huronian
There are black and greenish colored slates conglomerates quartz
ites chlcritic slates epidotic gneiss and porphrintic rocks Though
there exists in Georgia large areas with rocks corresponding in char
acter with the Huronian and others as has been said with the Lu
rentia No well denned line can be traced on the map between
these lithological groups as the areas have been but imperfectly de
termined
Some geologists regard the Metamorphic formation of the slate as
changed Silurian rocks This view of their age was held by Profes
sor F H Bradley who devoted much time to the study of the se
ries in Tennessee North Carolina and Georgia
In the second Report of Progress of the Geological Survey Dr
Little says The relation of the metamorphic rocks in these the
Cohutta mountains as well as that in the Blue Ridge and across
the Chattahoochee Ridge along the Tugalo and Savannah rivers to
the corresponding adjacent parts of Tennessee North Carolina and
South Carolina have been studied and a regular succession of Pots
dam Quebec and Cincinnati rocks found in alternating bands while
the whole of this metamorphic region appears to be of Silurian
age Professor Bradley reports The extension of the goldbelt over
large areas not previously recognized as goldbearing the determi
nation of the age equivalency and position of nearly every impor
tant stratum in the Blue Ridge of Georgia including the copper
ores of Fannin and Gilmer as well as those of Lumpkin and Towns
and the corundum belts of Union Towns and Rabun with the
probable position of the equivalents of these latter in Habersham
White Lumpkin and Dawson and the determination of numerous
levels which affect both the working of large areas of the goldfield
and the location of projected railroads
The points of greatest scientific interest are the identification of
the serpentines chrysolites chlorites and stellites of the corundum
belts with the magnesian limestones of the Quebec group Th
Knox Dolomite of Safford and that of the underlying schists of the
goldbelt with the Knox shale of the lower part of the Quebec
The series has been but imperfectly studied even the relative
Second Report of Progress of the Mineralogical Geological and Physical Sur
vey of the State of Georgia for 1875 page 13GEOLOGY
79
positions of some of the groups are in dispute and the question of
age or possible equivalency remains in abeyance waiting further re
search and will not be further considered here
Metamorphic RocksThe chief rocks are granite gneiss mica
schists and magnesian rocks Such varieties of these as are com
mon in Georgia will be briefly described
Granites are of common occurrence south of the Chattahoochee
ridge but are rarely found in large masses north of this There
are four varieties in Middle Georgia 1 A gray granite com
posed of quartz feldspar and a dark colored mica 2 a flesh colored
granite similar in composition to the last with a pink feldspar 3 a
syenite or dark colored granite composed largely of hornblende and
4 a variety known as granulite made up of quartz and feldspar
common in some parts of Middle Georgia
GneissGneiss is similar in composition to granite only much
more variable in character as it occurs in this State The materials
unlike granite are generally distributed irregularly in layers often
giving to the stone a beautiful banded appearance Some varieties
however are uniform in the distribution of the constituent minerals
and can be distinguished from the granites only by its existing in
beds like other stratified rocks Such varieties are often called
gneisoid granites Hornblende Gneiss composed of quartz hornblende
and feldspar is a common variety sometimes covering large areas and
giving rise to a deep red soil where this is the prevailing rock It
often occurs in thin layers along with other varieties of gneiss and
not in sufficient quantity to affect materially the character of soil
It varies from a dark gray to black according to the percentage of
the black mineral hornblende that enters into the composition of
the rock and from which it derives its name A gametiferous gneiss
is found along the Chattahoochee ridge and a bed of this charac
ter has been passed through in the boring for artesian water in At
lanta An epidotic gneiss is found west of the Blue Ridge and in
Troup county
Mica SchistThis rock has the same composition as gneiss
but contain much more mica It covers some extensive belts of
country The lands are usually of a sandy nature and the soil is
filled with glistening particles of mica and often covered with
quartz fragments
ItacolumiteThe itacolumite or flexible sandstone outcrops along
8o
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
the Chattahoochee ridge from Habersham probably to Troup
county It is found again near the eastern base of the Blue Ridge
and about the western sides of Gilmer Pickens and Cherokee
counties and also further south in Harris Meriwether and Pike
counties in the Pine Mountain range The nauvaculite of Graves
Mountain in Lincoln is believed to belong to the itacolumite series
This sandstone dips southeasterly as do most of the rocks of the
country where it has been observed and underlying it on the
northwest is a graphitic hydramica schist and below this again a
crystalline limestone or marble The series is an interesting one
from its supposed relation to the diamonds that have been found in
this State as well as in North and South Carolina
Magnesian RocksA chloritic schist exists in heavy beds near the
northern limit of the metaphorphic region and is distributed in
less quantity elsewhere over the country to the south Soapstone
or talc is found in many localities
The metamorphic rocks commonly contain quartz veins and
are sometimes crossed by trap dikes The quartz veins usually con
form to the laminae or to the bedding of the rocks while the traps
cut these almost at right angles and traverse the country in a
direction little west of north
Between the Cohutta and Blue Ridge Mountains and nearly
everywhere south of the last named mountain and particularly in
Middle Georgia the rocks are very generally decomposed down t0
the constant waterlevel of the country or to the depth at which
lasting water is obtained in wells
Among the more common minerals belonging to the formation
in Georgia may be named quartz mica feldspar hornblende garnet
Tourmaline graphite epidote talc rutile hematite magnetite
titanic iron with many others less generally distributed
PALEOGOIC FORMATIONS
These are ten counties of the State in what is known as the
limestone region of Northwest Georgia This section in Georgia is
limited by a metmorphic range of mountains extending around it
in a semicircle on the east and south This range runs near the
eatern sides of the counties of Murray and Gordon and the eastern
and southern sides of Bartow and Polk The larger part of each of
these are covered with silurian strata The counties lying wholy01
LEGEND
Silurian
j Archaean
GEOLOGICAL
MAP
OF
GEORGIA
BOM 8TATK GKOIOGICAI RECORDS AND
MANUSCRIPT NOTES
v ALincolX Department of Agriculture
Uuiiloi l Prs Eligrs
rAoirHT li TSS
GEOLOGY 8l
within the paleozoic are Dade Walker Catoosa Chattooga Whit
field and Floyd The following description of some of the surface
ieatures of the section was prepared from notes of the geological
survey of the State for Prof Hilgards report on cotton production
TopographyThe country is banded by a number of mountains
ridges and valleys extending with a general parallelism in an ap
proximate northeast and southwest direction approaching nearest
to north and south in the eastern part of the division and with di
vergent mountains running nearer to east and west in the southern
and central portions Sand Lookout and Pigeon mountains in the
northwestern corner of the State are synclinal tablelands belong
9gnnf 6 iUey 1coalfield TheSe vary in altitude f 800 to
1200 feet above the adjacent valleys and are usually troughshaped
ou the top having somewhat elevated borders along their brows and
precipitous sides marked by perpendicular sandstone bluffs These
mountains have an area on the top of rolling and often nearly level
sandy lands amounting in the aggregate to 200 square mites
Lookout mountain is separated from Sand mountain on the north
west by Lookout valley which has a width of 3 or 4 miles and ex
tends from Alabama across this part of the State into Tennessee
Pigeon mountain is an easterly spur of Lookout mountain giving
rise to a Vshaped valley which widens out toward the north and
is known as McLemores cove These mountains are bordered
00tUoSSf T l thtT eXt6nt by Steep Sand8t0ne ridSes of fm
i TV Clght S1Vmg t0 narrOW valles ad their
bases These ridges are a constant feature of the tableland moun
tZX 7UT eveTere in thls rtion to them except where
they have disappeared by erosion About the central portion of
Pigeon mountain where the tableland feature is lost with the dis
appearance of the sandstones and conglomerates from its summit
the ndges on each side merge into the main mountain and with it
iorm the broken and knobby region terminating the range Thee
are known in Walker and Chattooga counties as shinbone ridges
and in Dade county as pudding ridges
East of Lookout and Pigeon mountains at distances of from 10
to 20 miles is another series of mountains extending nearly cen
trally across this division of the State These are mostly sharp
topped and have altitudes of from 500 to 1000 feet above the sur
82
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
rounding valleys White Oak mountain Taylors ridge and Gay
lor mountain extend in a direct line across this part of the State
only separated from each other by narrow gaps To the east of these
mountains either in interrupted parallel ranges or divergent spurs
belonging to the same system of elevations are Dicks ridge Rocky
Face Chattoogata Horns Johns Little Sand Rocky Lavender
and Horse Leg mountains Little Sand mountain and Rocky
mountain are tablelands of small extent belonging to the Coosa
coal field The surrounding sharpcrested mountains here bear the
lithological relation to these tablelands that the shinbone and pud
ding ridges before described bear to Sand Lookout and Pigeon
mountains on the northwest
Next on the east are the Cohutta Salicoa Pine Log Allatoona
and Dug Down mountains constituting a single rangeand extend
ing around the eastern and southern boundary of this division of
the State being in fact the eroded escarpment of an elevated
plateau that lies to the southeast of this region This feature of
the range is quite apparent in Polk county where the brow of the
escarpment is but 500 or 600 leet above the valleys on the northwest
and corresponds to the general level of the country to the south
but in the northern part especially in the Cohutta mountains
where the altitude is much greater it is cut up by coves and
ravines so that mountains are encountered in all directions for
a distance of 10 or 15 miles between the base and the summit of
the escarpment
To recapitulate The ranges in this division of the State may be
designated by the most prominent mountains of each as 1 the
Lookout range on the west 2 the Chattoogata range of the cen
tral portion of this region and 3 the Cohutta range on the
eastern and southern border Intermediate between these moun
tains are a number of cherty ridges and sometimes sandstone ridges
rarely exceeding 200 or 300 feet in height The sandstone ridges are
generally narrow while the cherty ones form knotty belts of from 1
mile to 10 miles in width These alternate with shale and lime
stone valleys thus subdividing the areas between the mountains
into somewhat narrow belts with topographical and agricultural
features varying with these lithological characters The valleys
range in altitude from 500 to 600 to 1 000 feet above the sea the eleGEOLOGY
83
vation being greatest about the divide between the waters of the
Tennessee river on the north and the Coosa river on the south
Kind of RocksThe aggregate thickness of the palaeozoic is esti
mated at about 20000 feet The rocks consist mainly of alternating
series of shales limestones and sandstones or conglomerate The si
liceous rocks including the sandstones and conglomerates siliceous
shales and cherty beds associated with some limestones are greatly
in excess of the limestones and argellaceous shales constituting
perhaps more than half of the entire thickness while the arelk
ceous beds or such as are composed largely of clay are somewhat in
excess of the limestones In the upper half of the series these ma
terials are more nearly equal in their distribution
SILURIAN
AccadianAlong the western escarpment of the Cohuttas exist
beds of semimetamorphic slates and conglomerates apparently of
very great thickness To this formation in Tennessee has been
given the name of Ocoee group from the Ocoee river along which
near the line of Tennessee and Georgia the rocks anpear to have
their greatest development or at least are most prominently dis
played J
The group as yet is not known to contain fossils but has been re
ferred on the ground of its supposed stratagraphic relations to the
Accadian Epoch A sandstone of several hundred feet in thickness
is conspicuously displayed in steep ridges or mountains skirting
the western base of the Cohutta Pine Log and Allatoona Mountains
fhis is the Chilhowee sandstone of Tennessee and is believed to
be the equivalent of the Potsdam sandstones In Tennessee ecoli
thus impressionsworm holes filled with sandy rods somewhat
jotter than the body of the rockare mentioned as a common charac
teristic of the sandstone by Prof Safford and indicate a probable
identity in age with the Potsdam sandstone of New York These
markings have not yet so far as known been observed in this
btate but the sandstones are often filled with small rounded con
cretions that disappear from the weathered surface and give much
the appearance presented by a cross section of the scolithus rods
in sandstone
This is succeeded by hard glauconitic shales and glauconitic
VI vol 10 census page 285 Cotton Production of Georgia page 1984
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
sandstones associated with siliceous limestones found in a broad
belt of country