Wisconsin Kettle Moraine. 213 



to characterize the county somewhat widely, especially in the 

 southern part. Near Albert Lea, in the adjoining county, on the 

 south, and only a few miles from the Iowa line, there is a more 

 prominent development of similar features, the ridges having a 

 south westward trend. Dr. C. A, White, in the Geology of Iowa, 

 describes a terrace in the northern part of the state, which, in its 

 eastern extension, " becomes broken up into a well marked strip 

 of 'knobby country.' Here it consists of elevated knobs and 

 short ridges, wholly composed of drift, and usually containing 

 more than an average proportion of gravel and boulders. Inter- 

 spersed among these knobs and ridges, are many of the peat 

 marshes of the region."^ One knob he estimates as rising 300 

 feet above the stream at its base. This area lies in the line of the 

 preceding localities, and near the Minnesota border. Between 

 this "knobby country" and the Algoma branch of the C, M. k 

 St. P. E. R, and stretching southwestwardfrom the latter, there is a 

 broad belt of low mounds and ridges, some of which show the 

 structure and composition common to the Kettle moraine, 

 while others present externally only a pebble clay, similar to that 

 which characterizes the level country to the west of it. The 

 whole presents the appearance of a low range modified by lacus- 

 trine deposits. 



Near the center of the state. Dr. White describes a second range 

 under the name of "Mineral Ridge," ^ as consisting, "to a consid- 

 erable extent, of a collection of slightly raised ridges and knolls, 

 sometimes interspersed with small, shallow ponds, the whole 

 having an elevation, probably, nowhere exceeding 50 feet above 

 the general surface, but, being in an open prairie region, it attracts 

 attention at a considerable distance." Both these ridges. Dr. 

 White classes as probable moraines. 



This Mineral ridge lies south of the lake district, and may be 

 regarded as forming its margin in that direction. On the western 

 border. Dr. White describes " knobby drift," in Dickitison county, 

 which, however, is " without perceptible order or system of ar- 

 rangement." ^ To the northwest from this, we soon encounter the 



1 Geol. of Iowa, 1870, p. 99. 2 Loc. cit. ' Geol. of Iowa. Vol. II, p. 231. 



