LOEAIN COUNTY. 207 



and have devoted their attention to the raising of stock and the making 

 of butter and cheese. As an effect of these causes, Wellington is now 

 one of the most important cheese markets of the Western Reserve. 



In the central part of the county a belt of sandy soil reaches across 

 from east to west. The sand of this region is intimately connected with 

 the lake ridges, and is the product of the action of the shore waves 

 when the lake level reached to the altitude of this belt. Near the lake 

 shore the soil is clay again, but here mostly derived from the decompo- 

 sition of the underlying rocks, the Drift clays having been generally 

 washed away. Good examples of this kind of soil are seen in the north- 

 ern part of Avon and Sheffield ; and there, as in the adjoining township 

 of Dover, Cuyahoga county, it has been found well adapted to the culti- 

 vation of the- grape, and the surface is already largely occupied with 

 vineyards. The timber of the center and northern part of the county, 

 where the soil is light, is mainly oak, hickory, and chestnut. The origi- 

 nal forest growth in all parts of Lorain county was dense and strong, 

 the accumulation of vegetable mold beneath it deep, and the fertility of 

 the resulting soil is marked and universal. 



Lake Ridges. — The most interesting feature in the surface geology of 

 Lorain county is formed by the lake ridges which traverse it from east 

 to west. These have been frequently alluded to in the reports on the 

 other counties which border the present lake shore, particularly in that 

 on Cuyahoga county (Vol. I., Part I., p. 178) ; and the proof is there given 

 that they were thrown up by the action of the waves of the Lake, and 

 mark the place of old shore lines at successive periods of rest in the de- 

 scent of the lake level. The lake ridges are, perhaps, nowhere better 

 shown than in Lorain county. The impression has generally prevailed 

 that there were but three of these ridges — those known as the north, 

 middle, and south ridges. It will be seen, however, by reference to the 

 map which accompanies Chapter XXX., prepared at my request by Prof. 

 A. A. Wright, of Oberlin, that while there are three principal ridges, 

 having the altitude respectively of 100 to 118 feet, 150 to 160 feet, and 

 200 to 220 feet, there are also a number of local or intermediate ridges, 

 which frequently are continuous for several miles. For example, in Am- 

 herst, the lowest, called Whittlesey's ridge, is a little less than 100 feet 

 above the Lake, and within two miles of the lake shore. The next, or 

 north ridge, is nearly continuous from Cleveland to Brownhelm, and ex- 

 tends much farther both east and west. This has generally an altitude 

 of from 100 to 110 feet. 3d. Middle ridge, extending diagonally north- 

 west and south-east through the center of the township, having an alti- 

 tude of about 150 feet. 4th. South ridge, continuous through the south- 



