472 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



upland woods is in condition at once to yield abundantly. I refer, in the 

 foregoing remarks about the differences in the soils of the east. and wept 

 sides oi the Miami River, to the characteristic soils, and not to every 

 part of each. On the east, there are swampy places where the soil 

 approaches in character to the black soil of the west side, while on the 

 west side of the river, as in the southern part of the county, the soil has 

 the character of that on the east. There are some places west of the 

 Stillwater, where the Drift does not exist at all, or very little of it is 

 seen, but the soil, only a few inches or feet in depth, rests immediately 

 upon the lime-stone of the Niagara formation. This soil is largely de- 

 rived from the underlying rock. This is not usual in the region of the 

 Drift. In most places, our rocks have but little influence upon the sur- 

 face soil, except so far as fragments of the rocks are mingled with, and, 

 by decomposition, give their strength to the soil. 



The Drainage. — All of the drainage finally reaches the Miami River. 

 The county slopes from north to south, with two subordinate systems of 

 drainage pouring the surplus water into the two outlets — the Miami and 

 Stillwater rivers — to be united after they leave the county. The longest 

 tributaries of the Miami come from the east, as those of the Stillwater 

 come from the west. On three sides, the county receives accessions of 

 water from other counties, while the streams from the general water-shed 

 on the north, contribute the drainage of several counties, all, together, 

 making a large and constant 'volume of water flowing across the entire 

 county, furnishing water-power for great and profitable industries. The 

 Miami canal is a convenient conduit for the utilization of this immense 

 power. The advantages of this situation are becoming appreciated in 

 this county, and companies have been formed, aided by municipal 

 appropriations, to make use of this power, which has been largely al- 

 lowed to pass by without making contribution to the wealth of the 

 county. The success of the enterprises, undertaken and partly- com- 

 pleted at the time of my visit, are assured by the natural and physical 

 advantages of the situation of the county, if no engineering blunders 

 are encountered, or financial embarrassments delay the completion of the 

 works. The breadth of country lying above the horizon of the northern 

 boundary of Miami county, will furnish a drainage ample enough for an 

 immense water-power, if it is directed into proper channels. It may be 

 necessary, as it is practicable, to detain the water in a reservoir, on the 

 Miami, in the southern part of Shelby county. The two State reservoirs, 

 the Loramie and the Lewiston, could be greatly improved and rendered 

 both more effective as a supply for the canal, and useful for holding a 

 supply of water, especially the one on the Miami, for manufacturing 



