166 BOTANY OF MICHIGAN 



Geographical Position 



Tuscola County is bounded on the south by Lapeer and Genesee 

 counties, east by Sanilac County, north by a part of Huron Comny and 

 Saginaw Bay, west by Bay and Saginaw counties. In general outline 

 it is square, approximately 30 miles on a side and is a part of the tract 

 popularly known as "The Thumb.'' The south line is about 65 miles 

 north of Detroit and 100 miles from the south State line. 



The Present and Past Conditions Contrasted 



At present this county has the appearance of a valuable, progressive 

 and successful agricultural district. The land generally speaking is of 

 good quality and everywhere general thrift arid prosperity are indicated. 

 In recent years the sugar beet industry has become prominent and 

 valuable. But it seems only yesterday that it was a mid district mostly 

 covered with dense forests penetrated only by paths and trails and a 

 favorite locality for the Indian. For him it was a paradise, as game and 

 fish were plentiful, and his daily wants were easily procured and satisfied. 

 These conditions had existed for an unknown length of time. However 

 on the advent of the paleface a radical and almost sudden change took 

 place. The white man felled and used up the forests, killed with his 

 deadly weapons and consumed the game, and even reduced the former 

 abundant supply of fish. The Indians of this region are now known only 

 in history. These great changes have taken place perhaps within the 

 memory of many 3^et living in 1910. 



General Surface 



There is very little rock outcropping in the county and the general 

 surface is indeed very variable. In the northern part near and extend- 

 ing south from the Bay, there is much marsh-like or damp prairie-like 

 ground not very much above the level of Saginaw Bay, formerly covered 

 part of the time with shallow water. Dotted here and there in this low 

 ground are spots called islands, raised a few feet above the general level 

 and covered with trees and shrubbery. As hereafter mentioned this 

 prairie-like land in its drier parts seems to have invited a number of 

 species from prairie habitats farther south and west. Toward the south 

 part of the county is apparently very rough with ridges of morainal 

 formation, and, it is said, rises above the Bay level in places from 200 

 to 400 feet. 



The principal stream having several branches is Cass River with a 

 well defined valley running through the county from northeast to south- 

 west. There are perhaps 16 small lakes and ponds, two of the lakes 

 being partly in Lapeer County, a number of them having no names and 

 not usually noted on maps. The largest of these lakes are mostly in the 



