207 



iiiarsh ; also a narrow stri]) of ridws on the east and south borders of the 

 sand area in Fulton, Cass, White and Jasper Counties; and the ridges 

 from the southern limit of the typical dunes to the flats on the north of 

 the Kankakee. Scattering ridges and "sand-islands" are found scattering 

 over the level portions of the sand area. 



The thickness of the sand varies much because of the irregularities 

 of tlie surface. Over much of the region the sand is very tliin except in 

 the ridges. Throughout much of the region wells are obtained without 

 passing below the sand. They are shallow, having depths of ten feet or 

 less on the le\el tracts and correspondingly deeper on. the ridges. It would 

 appear from all available data and estimates made that the sand is on an 

 average about ten feet in thickness over the area. The ridges range in 

 height from five to forty feet, but tlie majority are less than twenty feet. 

 Tliey vary in breadth from a few feet to an eightli of a mile, but in gen- 

 eral are from two hundred to tliree liundred feet wide. The prevailing 

 trend of the ridges is usually easily determined, l)ut in places they wind 

 about apparently without system. Mr. Leverette, Dr. Chamberliu and 

 Professor Purdue liave attempted to work out a system of the ridges and 

 the bouldery tr;icts associated with the ridges. Further study of the region 

 is contemplated to work out the system. 



"Those on the east border in Pulaski County, Indiana, show a tend- 

 ency to a north to south trend, while those on the south border in Cass. 

 White and Jasper Counties trend nearly east to west. Those on the south 

 border of the Kankakee trend about with the course of the stream, south 

 of west in the Indiana portion, and north of west in the Illinois portion. 

 Between the ridges bordering the Kankakee in Indiana, and those on the 

 south and east borders of the sand area, the trend is not so easily sys- 

 tematized. The ridges there are arranged in groups and strips, among 

 which there are extensive plain tracts, often boulder strewn ar.d', having 

 only a thin sand covering."— F. S. G. S. Monograph XXX^'IIT, p.; 332-33. 



The soils of the area vary from peat and muck, with a considerable 

 p.ercentage of sand ar.d high in organic content, to the loose barren sands. 

 JMuch of the area is low lying and marshy, thou.sands of acres of which 

 have not been reclaimed for agricultural purposes. In the undulating and 

 lolling parts the soil is chiefly a fine sandy loam, with good natural drain- 

 age. All the ordinary crops are grown to some extent and many special 

 crops are of great importance in the region. While much of this land has 



