AYU1TESIDE COUNTY. 



where over it : Iwt some of the ravines, especially near the Carroll 

 county line, show its peculiar gravels, red hard-pan, and low-lying, 

 crumbling outcro})S. 



There is nothing noteworthy connected with this limestone as a sur- 

 face rock in this county. Its superficial area is limited, its outcrops 

 are few. and the only scientific interest attached to it is the knowledge 

 of its existence among the other interesting formations of the county, 

 and the fact that it may become of economical interest for the manufac- 

 ture of quick-lime. 



It is almost barren of fossils. I only noticed fragments of a few 

 characteristic species. Near the northern part of the county I found a 

 rather poor specimen of Receptaculites orbicularis, as figured and de- 

 scribed by DAXA. The other fossils were merely pieces of Belleroplion, 

 Pleurotomaria, and Murchisonia. 



E c o n o m i ca I and Agricultural Geology. 



This department of Whiteside county geology is of more than usual 

 importance, both in a scientific and economical point of view. The va- 

 riety of rocks ; the new interest awakened in the cultivation of the vine; 

 rich and varied agricultural resources ; the great beds of excellent peat 

 existing in hitherto useless bogs, and the fat lauds now being success- 

 fully reclaimed from the swamps all these are matters of wider interest 

 than usually appertains to a single county. 



BuiMiny Stone and Lime. All the outcropping formations above de- 

 scribed furnish materials for ordinary mason work, such as cellar and 

 well walls, foundations, and public buildings. The Galena requires 

 much labor to quarry and work it into good shape ; but it lasts like 

 granite, has an attractive, warm, fashionable cream or straw color, and 

 for heavy, massive masonry has no superior. Its limited outcrop pre- 

 vents its general use for economical purposes. It burns into a good ar- 

 ticle of quick-lime. There is a lime-kiln in successful operation at Wil- 

 son's mill. While at Sterling I observed some capitalists, who were in- 

 tending to manufacture a quantity of lime, figuring whether they could 

 haul stone to the fuel or fuel to the stone the cheapest, the one being in 

 Sterling and the other on Buffalo creek. I did not learn the result. 



For common rough mason work the Niagara limestone is much used. 

 Some of its layers make a good quick -lime, as may be seen on the ridge 

 north of Morrison. 



The sandstones of Union ville and the county farm are also extensively 

 used for building purposes. The mill between Unionville and Morrison 

 is built of this soft gray stone. It is a handsome and substantial struc- 

 ture. The jail and court house foundations, and the public offices in 



