FLORA OF EMMET COUNTY, IOWA. 



BY R. I. CRATTY. 



Emmet county lies in the northwestern part of the state, 

 bordering on Minnesota, and has an area of 408 square 

 miles. Its surface waters mostly find an outlet in the east 

 and west forks of the Des Moines river, both of which flow^ 

 chrough the county in a southeasterly direction. A small 

 part of the northeastern towmship, near Iowa Lake, lies in 

 the drainage area of the Minnesota river, and its flora, 

 therefore, is represented in Prof. MacMillan's admirable 

 volume. The Metaspenme of the Minnesota Valley. 



This county lies entirely within the area of the Wisconsin 

 drift and the retreating ice fields of our last glacial period 

 left within its borders many shallow depressions, the 

 deeper of which have become permanent lakes; while the 

 more shallow, which undoubtedly were once lakes and 

 ponds, have been gradually tilled by the erosive agency 

 of wind and water, aided by the decaying vegetation of 

 mosses and other aquatic plants, until at last the water- 

 loving sedges and grasses gradually narrow^ed the shore 

 line, till in most cases the whole was converted into a 

 juaking l)og; a few of which have an area of several 

 •undred acres, while there are a great many of less size. 



The greater part of the county has a gently rolling sur- 

 face, there being no very high hills. The valleys of both 

 branches of the Des Moines river are much below the 

 level of the surrounding country, and show the effect of 

 extensive erosion. In the eastern part of Iowa Lake and 



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