12G * 



of diU't materials. It possesses the two advantages Lul seldom united, namely, of 

 being a rich mining, and, at the same time, a highly productive farming district * 

 While the miners bring up from tifty to seventy millions of pounds of lead annu- 

 ally, from beneath the surface, the soil is made to yield its accustomed bounties. 



It will be seen that in many important particulars, Wisconsin bears a close 

 analogy to the State of New York. We have a similar primary, elevated region 

 at the north; and south of us is the coal basin of Illinois, corresponding to that 

 of Pennsylvania. We have the same Silurian rocks, extending from the Potts- 

 dam sandstone to the Cornlferous hmestone, inclusive; and we have also run- 

 ning nearly through the State, a very remarkable prolongation of the same 

 " Mountain Ridge" that in Western New York causes the great cataracts of 

 Niagara, the Gennesee, &c. ; and it is composed of rocks of the same geological 

 acre. Those, therefore, who have studied the very valuable reports of the geolo- 

 gists and agriculturists of that great State, will readily understand the geological 

 and agricultural interests of Wisconsin. 



There are numerous natural meadows scattered over a large portion of the 

 State, covered annually with a rich growth of a coarse kind of grass (species of 

 the genus Carex,) which constitute a very valuable resource in the eariy settle- 

 ment of the country. These meadows furnish the " feed" for cattle, &c., until 

 farms can be opened properiy ; and they have been one of the essential causes 

 of the rapid growth of our State in population and wealth. Without their aid 

 the farming interests of the State would have been far behind what they are at 

 the present time. These meadows can, with proper management, be easily covered 

 with the more nutritious and valuable " tame grasses," and thus add still more to 

 our means of wealth. 



Many of these natural meadows, and many of the tamarack swamps are 

 underiaid by extensive beads of peat, resting upon equally extensive beds of shell 

 mad. These beds constitute a great bank, not liable to be broken or to suspend 

 payment, from which to draw future supphes of the food of plants, whenever our 

 present soils shall exhibit signs of exhaustion, in consequence of over-cropping, or 

 injudicious management on the part of the farmer. 



There is a species of wild grassf growing very abundantly in the woods in 

 some portions of the State (whose long, coarse leaves retain their life and nutri- 

 tious qualities during the winter,) that has rendered essential service in hastening 

 our rapid progress, by reducing the labor and expense necessary in wintering 

 stock in a newly settled country. It prefers high and dry soils, but will not 

 flourish except in the shade of forest trees. 



* For the analysis of soils in this district, see Table I. 

 t The mountaiu rice— Orjzopsis adperitblia, of Michaux. 



