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ers of limestone of every kind are met with, until on the top 

 of some of the highest ridges, the sandstone is again found, 

 but in small detached portions. The result of this character 

 of the surface and geological structure, is, that everywhere 

 the county abounds in the finest limestone springs and water 

 courses; and, as remarked by a visiter to the recent com- 

 mencement of the State University, " presents a most roman- 

 tic and picturesque scenery, which, with its healthfulness, 

 renders it one of the most pleasant locations in the west." 

 Add to these, the educational advantages derived from the 

 University of Indiana, and that admirable female school, un- 

 der the control of Mrs. McFerson, and now containing 

 ninety-one pupils, and from the large common school fund, 

 held by some of the townships of the county, and nowhere 

 in the State, do we find a county possessing more desirable 

 advantages. 



3. Soil and Timber. — The soil of the county is clay, red 

 and yellow, tying upon limestone rock. It is dry and warm, 

 except in some places on some of the creeks. The top soil 

 is a clay loam, and its character as to fertility, may be readily 

 seen from the following extract, taken from the essay of Dr. 

 Lee, on the " study of soils," in the last agricultural report 

 of the patent ofiice: 



*' If we study the natural products of the earth in connex- 

 ion with the elements of fertility, we shall find that large, 

 long-lived, and thrifty forest trees grow only in soils which 

 aie rich in potash. When the farmer has occasion to burn 

 maple, elm, oak, walnut, hickory, beech, and other hard wood 

 forest trees, he finds them rich in this alkali; and he also 

 finds that soils which produce this kind of timber are always 

 good for agricultural purposes. Their productiveness is not 

 to be ascribed to potash alone (for this alkali exists in combi- 

 nation with flint or silicic acid in an insoluble form) but all 

 the other elements of crops are equally present in an availa- 

 ble form; but the existence of an abundance of magnificent 



