I 



51 



Apple Kiver Canyon, is a gorge 160 feet deep with frequent cliffs, minia- 

 ture park-like bottoms, and forested slopes. 



Despite the fact that there may be a diiTerence in elevation of 400 

 feet between the valley floor and the neighboring ridge-top, and that 

 cleared slopes up to twenty and even twenty-five degrees are common, 

 gully erosion is not noticeable. These steep slopes when not wooded are 

 pastured and protected by a sod. The soils are well drained, and in 

 periods of drought vegetation on the thin soil suffers. Pepoon cites an 

 instance of extreme drought in 1898 when even old trees died (Pepoon, 

 H. S., 1919). 



The present upland forests totaling about 50,000 acres, occur usually 

 as belts along the steep upper slopes. (See Map VI N.) The 

 lower slopes and often the ridge tops are cleared. The uplands border- 

 ing the Mississippi River are usually wooded in the southern half of the 

 county but cleared in the northern half ; and the forested region extends 

 into the unglaciated interior region twenty-five miles from the Mississippi 

 plain. The stands are well stocked with young as well as with merchant- 

 able timber and growth rates are excellent. They are dominantly white 

 and black oak, containing some basswood, hickory, black walnut, elm, 

 ash, cherry, maple, and occasionally a big-toothed aspen or Kentucky 

 coiifee-tree. Hard maple is found in almost pure stands in the northern 

 part of the county, and white pine occurs occasionally on the rocky slopes 

 of the gorges. 



Between Calhoun and Jo Daviess counties the topography of the 

 uplands along the bluiifs becomes modified, the slopes are less precipitous, 

 and relief less pronounced. These uplands are customarily cleared, but 

 Mercer and Rock Island counties show somewhat more forested area on 

 them. In parts of Henderson. Carroll, and Whiteside counties sand has 

 blown inland ; and such areas, when wooded, have the oak forests de- 

 scribed under the scrub oak type. 



