DAEKE COUNTY. 509 



of the remains of a mastodon, both of which were found in the peat de- 

 posits of Mud Creeli "Prairie." At the Turpen House, Greenville, may- 

 be seen a fine tusk of a mastodon, found somewhere in the northern part 

 of the county. But a short time ago a large tooth of a mammoth 

 was picked up in the creek bottom just north of Versailles. Probably 

 portions of fifteen or twenty skeletons of these gigantic beings have been 

 found in as many years.' 



V. SOIL AND VEGETATION. 



The county owes its soils almost wholly to the Drift, but very little 

 having resulted from the disintegration of the native lime-rock. From 

 the former almost barren deposits of clay, sand, and gravel, by the 

 action of streams, vegetation, and animal life through a long lapse of 

 time have been wrought the present rich and productive soils which so 

 distinctly mark this and the neighboring counties. The fine clays and 

 sands were separated from the hard-pan ; rocks were weathered until, by 

 successive frosts and thaws, their mineral constituents disseminated over 

 the surrounding surface; vegetation flourished and decayed; streams 

 overflowed their banks, dissolving and mingling the materials, until 

 there is presented not only a rich but also a tolerably varied soil. There 

 were also embodied in the Drift, together with the vast quantities of 

 metamarphic rocks, a great many pebbles and bowlders of the Niagara 

 and Lower Helderberg groups, which in their decomposition act as excel- 

 lent fertilizers. But about four kinds are to be noted as characteristic : 



First, the clayey or wueat-growing soil. This predominates, and is par- 

 ticularly characteristic of the uplands and higher portions of the county, 

 especially in the region of the watershed It varies in color from yellow 

 to red and brown. Upon the summit of the divide, from exhaustive 

 weathering and drainage, it is bleached almost white or ashen. Of this 

 the numerous sulphur springs along its base are proof as being supplied 

 by the iron extracted above. This species of soil is for the most part 

 free and porous, but in many places solid and tenacious. When of the 

 former character, it produces copious crops of wheat and other nearly re- 

 lated cereals; when of the latter, it is of great economical value in the 

 manufacture of brick and tile. 



The second may be termed alluvial or corn-growing soil. This is com- 

 monly known as "bottom land," and embraces quite extensive areas is 

 the valleys of Greenville and Stillwater Creeks. In character it may be 

 said to be of a black loamy nature, rendered free and mealy by an aver- 

 age supply of silica. A considerable quantity of decayed vegetable mat- 



