The ruins of the sandstone formation are here seen scattered about in fragments, or decomposed and intimately blended with those of other formations.

Fossil coal is every where found under the hills, of the very best quality, and in sufficient quantity not only for the fuel of the present, but many future generations, and is so easily obtained that the expense of fuel is a mere trifle. The oxide of iron, or iron ore variously combined, is recognized in many places, and water combined with muriate of soda, or common salt, is as common. Salines or licks are found in many places, where animals also, both wild and domesticated, resort in great numbers to drink the waters. These are frequently near some little water-course. Several sulphur and chalybeate springs are known to exist in this county, and some which throw out considerable quantities of petroleum.

In a country where iron and fossil coal exist, it is no wonder that copperas should be found. There are places where copperas exudes in a state sufficiently pure in quality, and in quantities sufficient for several families, who collect and use it in dying. The same may be said of alum, which is collected in the same way for similar purposes.

Botany.

Though this county is very rich in the mineral, yet it is not less so in the vegetable kingdom, as may be seen by a reference to the subjoined catalogue, although numbers of trees, shrubs, and plants, are purposely omitted, which are known to exist here.

Family.Species.Classical name.Remarks.
Oak,White,Quercus Alba,Abundant.
————Black,——— Nigra,Do.
————Meadow,——— Aquatica,Along the streams.
————Chesnut,——— Prunus,Scarce.
Maple,Sugar,Acer Saccharinum,Abundant.
————White,——— Alba.
Poplar or Tulip,White,Liriodendron,Abundant.
————Yellow.
Walnut,Black,Juglans Nigra.
————White,——— Alba.
————Shellbark Hickory,——— Albaovata.
————Pignut,——— Minima.
————Bitternut, and probably several other species.
Beach,Two species,Fagus.
————Chesnut,——— Americana.
Ash,White,Fraxinus Alba.
————Blue,——— Purpurea.
————Black,——— Nigra.
————Swamp,——— Aquatica.
Elm,Two or three species,Ulmus.
Buckeye,Common,Æsculusflava Lutea?
————Sweet,——— Maxima?
Locust,Four species,Robinia Pseud Acacia, &c.
Persimmon,Diospyros Virginica.
Linn or Bass Wood,Tilia Europea.
Cucumber,Cucuminis Sylvestris.
Dog Wood, or American Box,Two species.
Sycamore,Two species,Platanus Occidentalis, &c.
Plum,Several species.
Thorn,do. do.

The red bud; the pawpaw; grape-vines of several species, and growing to a great size; sassafras; the black willow, confined to the streams; the box elder, the common elder, of two species; the sumach, of two species; several species of gooseberries; and a great many others too numerous to be mentioned here. Among the herbaceous plants we must not omit the ginseng, the Virginia snakeroot, the columbo, and the puccoon, two or three thousand pounds of the roots of which are annually carried by the inhabitants to our Atlantic cities. Among the trees, those belonging to the oak family are the most numerous, if not the most valuable. Split into rails, the farmer builds fences with them, and sawed into plank, boards, and scantling, they furnish materials for houses and barns. The sugar maple is sufficiently abundant, so that brown sugar enough is manufactured for domestic purposes. The sycamore is the largest tree along the river, and the poplar is the largest on the hills. The latter grows by the side of the maple and the beach, and is a most valuable wood for the house-builder and the cabinetmaker. This tree is frequently four and five feet in diameter, and continues of nearly the same size as it ascends, 40, 50, and sometimes even 60 feet.

Streams.

The Ohio is the eastern boundary of this county, forming wide intervales along its banks. Indian Wheeling is a fine mill stream rising in Harrison county, and after crossing this, empties into the Ohio, opposite the town of Wheeling, which stands on the Virginia side.