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AGRICUI.TURAL CONDITION AND CAPACITY. 



The following papers are designed to give some general ideas of the cnpacity 

 and present agricultural condition of the several counties of the State. As but 

 a short time has elapsed since the virgin soil of our State was first broken by the 

 plough, and as organized efforts for the improvement of its Agricultural condi- 

 tion are of very recent date among us, the papers, of necessity, partake somewhat 

 of an historical character rather than of records of the experience and skill of 

 those engaged in the cultivation of the arts of husbandry. 



While they are not presented as perfect agricultural surveys, yet they will be 

 found of interest, and valuable as exhibiting the leading and general peculiari- 

 ties of the counties, and as preparing the way for the more thorough extended and 

 scientific survey, which it is the intention of the Society to institute hereafter. 



GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF WISCONSIN. 



Milwaukee, December 31st, 185L 



Dear Sir — I have received your favor of 1st instant, asking for a general 

 statement of the geological formations and constituent elements of the earths of 

 the various sections of the State, their agricultural properties and capacities, and 

 adaptation to tillage or stock grazing, &c. ; and regret that want of time will 

 prevent me from making as full a statement of the geological formations of the 

 State as could be wished, or as you will probably expect. 



If, however, the following very general summary, shall be deemed of suffi- 

 cient importance, it may be inserted in the proposed volume of " Transactions." 



We may divide the State into three geological districts, and denominate them 

 the Primary — the Sandstone — and the Limestone districts. 



It is undei-stood that nearly all of the northern part of this State abounds in 

 primary rocks, and other rocks of igneous origin, as trap dykes, (fee. This kind of 

 country extends from near Lake Superior to the lower or principal rapids of the 

 several streams running south — the St. Croix, Red Cedar, Chippewa, Black, 

 Wisconsin, Oconto, and Menomonee. It is not to be understood, however, that 

 this district is exclusively occupied by pi'imary rocks^ for it is often interspei-sed 



