396 THE GEOLOGY OF MINNESOTA. 



[Elevations. 



creek and also a small amount in the southern part. The laud along the creek was marshy. On 

 the northern boundary a small lake was found. 



Deei-fidd. A lake enters from the south. Another of about 220 acres is platted just liortli- 

 east of this, and near it is a pond of about half the size. All the township was wooded except the 

 northwest corner, which was prairie. Extensive marshes were platted in the southern and western 

 part. 



On comparing the magnetic variations given on these plats, as observed during the survey in 

 1854, it is found that the extremes arc 7 37 in Morton, and 11 40' in Deerh'eld, eastward from 

 the true north. 



Elerutionit on the Winona <f' St. Peter division of the Cliivayo <!' NortlnivxlrrH rnibrny. 

 From John E. Blunt, engineer, Winona. 



Miles from Feet above 

 Winona. the sea 



Claremont (Dodge county) - 76.36 1280 



Havana 83.90 1246 



Owatonna 88.17 1)44 



Meriden 96.35 1149 



Waseca (Waseca county) -102.68 1153 



Eltrations on the Iowa rf- Mtniiexota division of tin: Clticnyo, Milwaukee if- St. Paul milirnt/. 

 From profiles in the office of George II. White, engineer, Minneapolis. 



Milt-s 1'roin l-Yrt above 

 St Paul. the sea. 



Straight river, water. 1069; grade 60.2 1090 



Medford, - 60.4 1098 



Clinton Falls, 62.5 1107 



Maple creek, water. 1113; grade, 65.9 1128 



Owatonna. - 66.6 1144 



Summit, grade, 70.3 1245 



Someiset. 71.7 1222 



Aurora, 75.2 1253 



Turtle creek, water, 1238; grade, 75.7 1246 



Road crossing in section 34, Aurora. 78.5 1301 



Summit, grade, 82.1 1313 



Blooming Prairie, 84.6 1286 



The hills of the terminal moraine in Blooming Prairie, Summit, Aurora and Somerset, are 



1300 to 1350 feet above the sea, and are the highest land of this county. Its lowest land is where 



its northern boundary is crossed by Straight river, approximately 1060 feet above the sea. The 



extremes of elevation thus differ about three hundred feet. 



Mean elevation of the county. Estimates of the average hight of the townships of this coun- 



ty are as follows: Blooming Prairie, 1300 feet above the sea; Aurora, 1280; Havana, 1240; Mer- 



ton, 1240; Summit, 1250; Somerset, 1230; Owatonna, 1200; Clinton Falls. 1190; Mtdford, 1175; 



Berlin, 1250; Lemond, 1220; Meriden, 1175; Deerfield. 1160. The mean elevation of Steele coun 



ty above the sea, derived from these figures, is approximately 1225 feet. 



Soil and timber. This county has a fertile soil, and is wholly adapted 

 for cultivation excepting a few unusually knolly tracts of small extent, and 

 frequent sloughs which are valuable for their crop of marsh hay. Nearly 

 all of the county is prairie, diversified here and there by tracts thinly 

 wooded with bur oak. The only heavy timber of considerable area is found 

 in a belt at the east side of Straight river, in Owatonna, Clinton Falls and 

 Medford. The time spent in this county was not long enough to make out 

 a complete list of its trees and shrubs. The following were noted. 



