Account of the Wetland Canal. 159 



analluvial detritus : As it is formed at the exposed surfaces of 

 all rocks, it may be denominated superficial. 



It always depends for its character upon the nature of the 

 rock whose disintegration produced it. The most distinct 

 subdivisions are granulated soil and clay loam. It presents 

 a granulated appearance when it originates from graniie, 

 granular quartz, the graywackes, millstone grit, &c. It is of 

 a loamy, and more or less clayey appearance, when horn- 

 blende rocks, argillite, argillaceous graywacke, &c. have 

 furnished it by their disintegration.* 



REMARKS. 



1. The upper part of every general rock-stratum, is either 

 more fissile or more loose and siliceous, than the under part. 

 This affords a natural character for making the two-fold di- 

 visions adopted in this nomenclature. 



2. The upper surface of every general rock-stratum in our 

 district, is destitute of a superimposed rocky covering, for a 

 great distance. This affords a very natural guide for the 

 limit of general strata. 



(To be continued.) 



Art. XXII. — Account of the Welland Canal, Upper Cana- 

 da; by William Hamilton Merritt, Esq. Superin- 

 tendant. 



This canal is intended to connect Lakes Erie and Ontario, 

 and thereby remove the natural barrier caused by the won- 

 derful and well known falls of Niagara ; it exceeds in mag- 

 nitude any other yet constructed in America, excepting the 

 short cut from the Chesapeake to Delaware Bay, and in the 

 extent of the surface of its waters it exceeds any in the world. 



By reference to the map of the Niagara peninsula, here- 

 unto affixed, it will be seen that from the mouth of Grand 

 river on Lake Erie, it continues up that stream by a towing 

 path one hundred and twenty eight chains, thence up Broad 

 creek seventy chains, thence by a thorough cut through an 

 extensive marsh ten miles, thence down Mill creek two and 



* The figures given with the preceding synopsis, are intended as an imitation 

 of the half- artificial figures of Linnaeus, representing his botanical classes. 

 More than half a century has demonstrated the great utility of his plan in fix- 

 ing a kind of standard in the mind of the learner. 



