150 



Now, from all this, the evil appeai-s to be in tlie changes in the seasons, aiul 

 not in tlie climate. The climate in the same place must be the same. But 

 seasons have changed and re-changed since the settlement of America, and favor- 

 able seasons may yet come round to us again in this matter. 



Respectfully yours, 



ALFRED BRUNSON. 

 To Albert C. Ingham, Esq. 



Sec. of the Wis. State Ayr. SodeUj. 



AGRICULTURE OF DANE COUNTY. 

 BY JOHN Y. SMITH, MADISON.. 



6EOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 



Dane County, so called in honor of Nathan Dane,, of Massachusetts, who 

 drafted tlie celebrated ordinance- of 1787, for the government of the North-west 

 Territor}', and imder which five free and vigorous States have grown into exist- 

 ence, fs situated midway between Lake Michigan and the Mi.ssissippi river, its- 

 southern boundary being twenty-four miles north of the south line of the State^ 

 It is bounded on the north by Columbia county, on the east by Dodge and 

 Jetferson, on the south by Rock and G-reen, and on the- west and north-west by 

 Iowa and the Wisconsin river. Its extent is forty-two miles from east to west,, 

 and thirty-five miles from north to south, containing a fraction less than thirty- 

 townships, or one thousand two hundred and sixty square miles. 



Lakes. — The principal Lakes in the county, are the Four Lakes,, designated; 

 as the First, Second, Third and Fourth Lake. The First and Second each cover 

 an area of five or six; the Third about ten, and the Fourth about fifteen square 

 miles. This chain of Lakes extends from north-east to south-west, a distance- of 

 about seventeen miles. Madison, the county seat of tl>e county and capital of 

 the State, is situated between the Third and Fourth Lakes, upon a high rolling 

 strip of ground, from one-half to three-fourths of a mile in breadth, and com- 

 mandincr a fine view of the Third and Fourth Lakes. Accordina: to the census 

 of 1850 the town contained 1871 inhabitants, and the population of the county 

 was 16,654. 



Streams. — The pi'incipal streams in the county are the Catfish, Koshkonong, 

 Black Earth, and Sugar River. These streams furnish sufficient water-power to 

 jueet the ordinary wants of the country, but not adequate to exteiv^ive mauufac- 



