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turiiig operations. Tlie Catfish luis its rise in the northern part of the county, 

 and runs in a south-easterly direction througli the four Lakes, and unites with 

 Rock River, in Rock county. The Koshkouong rises in the eastern part of the 

 county, and runs in a south-eastern direction, and discharges its waters into the 

 Koshkonong Lake. Sugar River rises in the south-western part of the county, 

 and runs in a south-eastern direction through Green and a corner of Rock, and 

 unites with Rock River in the State of Ilhnois. Black Eai'th Creek has its rise 

 near the centre of the county, a little west of the Fourth Lake, running in a 

 north-westerly direction, and uniting with the Wisconsin ri\cr near the north-east 

 corner of Iowa county. These streams and their tributaries, together witli many 

 other streams of less magnitude, Avater most parts of the county abundantly for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Mills. — There are ten or twelve saw mills in the county, propelled by water, 

 and two propelled by steam, and eight flouring mills, the most extensive of which 

 is that of Leonai'd J. Farwell Ai Co., at the outlet of the Fourth Lake, near 

 Madison. 



Face of the Country. — The general surface of the country is of a gently 

 undulating character, the exceptions being found in the vicinity of the Wisconsin 

 River, and such of its tributaries as have their rise within the county. In these 

 localities, particularly along the Black Earth Creek, are found the bold, precipitous 

 blurts and deep ravines peculiar to the valley of the W^isconsin, with these excep- 

 tions, there is but very little ground in the county too rough for cultivation. The 

 Blue Mounds are two high hills rising out of a surrounding plain, united at their 

 bases, but terminating in separate peaks at an elevation of about one thousand 

 feet above the level of the Wisconsin river. They are located twenty-five miles 

 west of Madison, and the county line between Dane and Iowa, passes aorth and 

 south between the two mounds. The summit of the east mound, which is the 

 higher one, is the highest point of land in Dane countj^ and may be seen from 

 many positions in the central, northern, and eastern portions of the county, at a 

 distance of twenty-five or thirty-five miles. 



Prairie and Timber. — With the exception of a narrow belt around the north- 

 eastern shore of the Fourth Lake, there are no nati\e forests in the coui^ty. Ih 

 the northern and western portions of the county there ai'e extensive prairies, and 

 consequently (especially in the northern townships) a scarcity of timber; but in 

 the eastern and southern portions of the county tlie burr and white oak openings 

 predominate, and aftbrd an adequate supply of timber, though not of th<3 best 

 quality for building purposes. 



Marshes.— With the exception of some irreclaimable specimens about the 

 sources of the Koshkonong, in the east part of the county, marshes are not in- 

 conveniently numerous nor extensive. They are valued for the supplies of hay 



