Chautauqua Grape Belt. 129 



and ascends on the Canadian side. Not merely is a part of the plain 

 now submerged, but at a recent ojeological period more of it, and 

 that part now occupied by the most Nourishing vineyards, was cov- 

 ered by the lake waters. Lake Erie now plays an important part 

 in modifying tlie climate of tbe grape belt ; it formerly did import- 

 ant service in modifvirig the soils. 



The Bed Rock. 



As revealed along the lake shore, and in the remarkable gorges 

 which cut the escarpment and tbe plain, the bed rock is entirely 

 upper Devonian shales and sandstones above the horizon of the 

 Hamilton, which does not extend farther west than Evans. Both 

 plain and escarpment are made of these ; but it is probable that the 

 latter owes its elevation to the protective effect of some harder 

 layers of upper Devonian rock now removed. 



LAKE ERIE LAKE CLAY 



NORTH OLD BEACHES 



SOUTH 



OULOER CLAY 



51.— Section of the grape belt. 



On the northern face of the escarpment the soil is prevailingly thin 

 and the plough frequently reaches the bed rock; but on the plain,, 

 the bed rock is rarely seen at the surface, excepting in the stream 

 beds and in the shale ridges, which are found mainly east of Dun- 

 kirk. Still the bed rock plays an important part in the soils ; for 

 fragments of shale are commonly present in all the soils of the^ 



district. 



The Soils. 



General description of the soils. — If we should make several nortli 

 and south sections across the grape belt, from the middle of the 

 escarpment to the lake shore, they would be found to vary in 

 details according to the location of the line, but to be quite the 

 same in general features. The aveiage condition would be as follows 

 (Fig. 51). Commencing on the hillside with a thin soil of clayej 

 nature, and with an abundance of pebbles, (Fig. 53) and perhaps 

 boulders, at the base of the hill, when at the elevation of about 250 



9 



