3Y1 



discontinuance of operations, which the diminished price of salt has 

 since rendered unprofitable. 



In town of Nankin, section 11, springs occur, at one of which a well 

 is now sinking preparatory to an attempt at salt manufacture. The ex- 

 cavation has proceec'ed eight feet, being protected by a strong curb of 

 wood. I was informed by the proprietor that an ordinary pailful of 

 the brine produced a gill of saline residuum. 



An analysis of 100 cubic inches of water from this spring, furnished 

 in the first annual report of the State Geologist, showed 39.47 grains of 

 muriate of soda, (common salt,) combined with muriate of lime and 

 other matters. This result exhibits a strength equal to only one-fourth 

 that of the brine springs at Grand Rapids, and less than one-tenth that 

 of the springs of the Tittabawassa, the points at which operations are 

 commenced for the State salt manufacture. 



In regard to the conduction of operations by individual enterprise, 

 we would refer to the whole subject of brine springs as presented in 

 that report. It may thus be seen under what conditions only, certain 

 reliance can be had of ultimate success; nor should it appear surpris- 

 ing that expectations, not the result of a thorough understanding of the 

 subject, may end in disappointment. 



WATER, WELLS AND SPRINGS. 



The county may be considered as in general, well watered, by streams 

 discharging into the straits at intervals of a few miles. Their waters, 

 like that of the lakes, are soft. The River Huron alone forms an ex- 

 ception, which passing over limerock and through marly clays, becomes 

 hard, or charged with lime. 



The early French settlers dug no wells. They clustered about the 

 streams, and partook from those natural fountains. The surface waters 

 thus in most cases obtained, and from streams often winding sluggishly 

 along low and marshy banks, aflbrded but an iudift'erent beverage. 



Numerous wells have since been sunk, and with various success. The 

 thick bed of blue clay which underlies the county at small average 

 depth, though charged with gravel, is not sufficiently pervious to admit 

 the percolation of large underground streams. For this reason, springs 

 do not abound, and a large portion of the water of wells is a mere 

 drainage from the surface. Some springs, however, exist in the clay 



