356 



« 



feet. At a single point only, in the vicinity of Detroit, it attains to 45 

 feet above the river; the general level of the table land at this place 

 being about 26 feet. 



A portion of this belt, three miles in width, extending through the 

 towns ot Hamtrarack, Greenfield and Spring wells, falls from the general 

 level and is propoitionately wet. Below the Rouge .tbis belt becomes 

 intersected by wet prairies, extending over the west half of Ecorce to 

 the Huron river. 



Throughout that portion of the county comprised in the belt above 

 mentioned, the streams flow with but moderate current, have generally 

 deep channels, and frequently spread into broad marsh^ s near their em- 

 bouchure, and even in high stages of the water, to the distance of sev- 

 eral miles inland. These borders of marsh alluvion are frequently 

 many acres in extent; as at Grand Marais of Lake St. Clair; on the 

 Rouge, Ecorce, Brownstown and Huron rivers. 



Beyond the belt above described the land rises more rapidly, attain- 

 ing at the western line of the county to about 140 feet above the straits. 

 The streams are rapid and furnish abundant water power. 



Two-thirds of the county are flat, heavily timbered lands, producing 

 a stout growth of oak, elm, whitewood, maple, beech, lynn, (bass,) ash, 

 hickory, butternut, black walnut, &c. Che^itnut is found on sandy rid- 

 ges in the towns of Dearborn and Van Buren. The remaining third 

 is undulating oak openinijs, or plains, interspersed with wet, grassy prai- 

 ries ; the latter obtaining a proportion of about one-fifth. The propor- 

 tion of actual swamp is small, and probab'y little or none exists that 

 may not be reclaimed by a course of drainage properly conducted. 



SOIL, AND AGRICULTURAL CHARACTER. 



Clay and sand loams constitute the soils of the timbered land. These 

 occuj)y nearly equal proportions of surface and often alternate within 

 short distances. The former derives its character from a bed of yellow . 

 or brown friable clay, which reposes upon the extensive blue clay de- 

 posite immediately overlying the limerock. 



Clay is reached throughout the portions characterized by sandy soil, 

 at a depth of from 5 to 12 feet. 



The upper ch} has an average thickness of five feet. The lower 

 clay is of a variegated blue color, gravelly, and intersected by layers or 



