722 [ASSEJMBLY 



With a view of instituting a comparison between this rich and 

 beautiful regionjand some of the most highly cultivated and pro- 

 ductive districts of Vermont, and thus to test the adaptation of 

 the former from altitude and climate, to agricultural purposes, 

 I applied to the venerable and distinguished professor of Natural 

 History, in the Vermont University, Rev. Zadock Thompson, for 

 information on the subject. His reply is contained in the very 

 interesting note annexed.* , 



It will be perceived that the elevations mentioned by Professor 

 Thompson, are from the basis of Lake Champlain, which is itself 

 ninety-three feet above tide water. The plateau, which embraces 

 the arable parts of North Elba, is estimated in the report of Pro- 

 fessor Benedict, as ranging from 1,400, to 1,800 feet above tide. 

 This town contains nearly eighty thousand acres of land, seven- 

 tenths of which, it is computed, are susceptible of cultivation. I 

 shall resume in other branches of this report, the consideration 

 of its industrial resources and agricultural capabilities. 



In the north-eastern section of North Elba, and spreading into 

 Wilmington, the most extensive and valuable tract of pine, spruce 

 and hemlock, occurs which now remains in the county of Essex. 



• With regard to ^* the altitude of the highest choice agricultural farms," in Yermont, it 

 may be remarked, generally, that a very considerable proportion, the choice and productive 

 farms, lie at an elevation of more than 500 feet above the level of Lake Champlain, and many 

 excellent ones in the central part of the State, at an elevation of 1,000 feet. Between Jericho 

 Comers and Underbill flat, are several very choice farms, which lie 550 feet above the lake, 

 and, at about that elevation, are a great number of excellent farms, scattered along the wes- 

 tern slope of the Green Mountains, from the central part of Addison county, to the Canada 

 line. The broad and fertile valley of Otter Creek, from Middlebury, to the south part of Rut- 

 land county, has an elevation varying from 300 to 500 feet. The average height of the culti- 

 vated farms lying between Lake Champlain and the summit of the Green Mountains, is about 

 400 feet. In Franklin, and in the northern part of Chittenden county, there are large tracts 

 of sandy plains, which were originally covered with pines, and which have a pretty uniform 

 elevation of 200 feet. The soil is light, and naturally, not very productive. The lands in all 

 the counties north of Rutland, rise gradually from the lake shore to the summit of the Green 

 Mountains, where they have an altitude of 4000 feet, and some very good farms are cultivated 

 at an elevation of 900 feet. East of the main ridge of the Green Mountains, there are excel- 

 lent farms at a still greater elevation. JChe whole county of Orleans, lies more than 500 feet 

 above Lake Champlain ; and it contains many fine productive farms, and some of the finest and 

 most productive are on the swell of land called " Craftsbury Common,'- at an elevation of 1000 

 feet. Further south, in the western part of Orange county, there is a similar, but much larger 

 rsrell, constituting the principal part of three townships, viz, Randolph, Brookfield and A\ il- 

 liamstown. This tract is elevated from 800 to 1,200 feet above Lake Champlain, and upon it 

 are many of the most beautiful and most productive farms in the State. 



