EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 485 



The surface features may be conveniently divided into five distinct divisions. 

 First, the sand drift which extends parallel to the shore line near the center 

 of Wayne and Monroe counties, touching only the extreme southeast corner 

 of Washtenaw county and extending through about the center of the old 

 lake bed district of Lenawee county. 



Second, the level to undulating lands which are along the shore line ex- 

 tending inland from five to fifteen miles. Narrow strips ranging from one to 

 five miles wide are found between the sandy drift in central Monroe county 

 and in the extreme southern part of Wayne county. The same surface 

 features are to be found bordering the west side of the area and are much 

 more extensive than those along Lake Erie and the Detroit river. 



Third, the old deltas formed where streams entered the Lake. These 

 formations are most prominent where the larger streams flow from the 

 upland on to the old lake bed district. Such formations are very distinct 

 east of Adrian, Saline, Ypsilanti, Plymouth and Northville. 



Fourth, gravelly ridges ranging from four to twenty feet above the level 

 land and extending approximately parallel to the present lake shore line and 

 for the most part found near the upland soils along the west side of the old 

 lake bed. Such ridges were on the shore lines of the Lake and may be easily 

 distinguished from the sand ridges by the coarse material and an occasional 

 pocket of gravel. 



Fifth, the river flood plains and terraces which lie along the larger streams. 

 Such surface features are not wide in extent yet furnish excellent farming 

 land because of their fertility and thorough drainage. Few terraces occur, 

 the most important one being near Bellville in Wayne county which extends 

 about six miles along the Huron river and ranges from a few rods to approx- 

 imately three miles in width. 



Very little rough or broken land is to be found in the area. The bluffs 

 along the rivers and streams are very low ranging from only a few feet to 

 twenty to thirty in the more rolling land. The streams have ample fall for 

 drainage yet the channels are relatively new compared to the rough and 

 broken lands along streams outside this area. 



The general slope of most of the area is toward Lake Erie and the Detroit 

 river. The elevation at these points ranges from 575 to 600 feet above 

 sea level, the rise being gradual back to the old shore lines of the Lake 

 where near the upland the elevation varies from 600 to 800 feet. 



MARKETS 



Detroit and Monroe are the two largest cities in the area. Adrian, Ypsil- 

 anti, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio, are others located close to the 

 area and afford excellent markets and shipping points for farm produce. 



TRANSiPORTATION 



Transportation facilities are excellent. The main railroads of importance 

 to the area are the Wabash, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, Pere 

 Marquette, Michigan Central, Ann Arbor, Grand Trunk and Detroit and 

 Toledo. Numerous electric lines radiating from Detroit and Toledo are also 

 a valuable asset. The main highways surrounding Detroit are excellent. 

 It is possible to travel from 10 to 30 miles out of Detroit on concrete roads. 



