207 



marsh; also a narrow strij) of ridges 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 irregularitie.s 

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

 tlie ridges. Throughout nuich of the region wells are obtained without 

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

 less on the level tracts and corresiwndingly 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 the majority are less than twenty feet. 

 They vary in breadth from a few feet to an eighth of a mile, but in gen- 

 eral are from two hundred to three hundivd feet wide. The prevailing 

 trend of the ridges is usually easily determined, but in places they wind 

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

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

 the bouldery tracts 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 .ndiana 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 jilain tracts, often boulder strev,-n ar.d having 

 only a thin sand covering." — V. S. G. S. Monograph XXXV ill, p. 832-33. 



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

 percentage of sand and high in organic content, to the loose barren sands. 

 Much of the area is low lying and marshy, thousands 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 



