453 RURAL EHCHIGAN 



than one-fifth in farms. In the northern counties 

 of the southern peninsula, Arenac, with a total area 

 of 239,360 acres, has 135,334 in farms; Gladwin, 

 Avith 332,160 acres, has 154,633 in farms; and Clare, 

 with 372,480 acres, has 186,581 in farms. Finally, 

 selecting representative counties from the three 

 southernmost tiers in the Lower Peninsula, Hillsdale 

 County, with an aggregate area of 381,680 acres, has 

 362,815 in farms; Calhoun wiLh 443,420 total acres, 

 has 407,958 in farms; and Eaton, with 365,440 acres, 

 has 342,500 in farms. In the northern counties there 

 are sections not included in the present farm acre- 

 age that cannot reasonably be expected to serve any 

 agricultural purpose. One large owner in this terri- 

 tory is reported recently to have turned back to the 

 State 22,000 acres rather than pay taxes on these 

 unproductive lands; very much of the State's pres- 

 ent holdings under the control of the Conservation 

 Commission were acquired in this manner. On the 

 other hand, there is a large but undetermined acre- 

 age whose situation as regards soil, climate and 

 drainage warrant high hopes of important agricul- 

 tural productivity. 



Isle Eoyale in Lake Superior, at one time prized 

 for its copper deposits but which in this respect 

 proved disappointing, is now largely abandoned and 

 unoccupied save by a few fisher folk. The United 

 States still holds large acreage on the island, which 

 is of itself good evidence of its non-availability for 

 economic uses. Drummond Island, at the head of 

 Lake Huron, is chiefly important for its timber re- 



