208 Agricultural Manual 



peaks along the western border, the highest of which is Lyon 

 Mountain (3,800 feet), offer wild and picturesque scenery in 

 abundance. 



The uplands descend toward the north, expanding into a wide 

 tract of nearly level land along the northern part of the county. 

 Along Lake ChampLain, which lies 101 feet above the sea, the 

 surface is level or moderately hilly. From this section it 

 rises gradually but unevenly to the summits of the ridges in the 

 interior. A part of the western portion .of the county is covered by 

 the original forests and is too rough to admit of profitable 

 cultivation. 



The streams flow in a general easterly direction into Lake 

 Champlain. The northern part of the county is drained by the 

 Big Chazy River as well as by the English and the Little Chaz\ 

 rivers. The Saranac River, which is the largest stream in the 

 county, follows a- northeasterly course through the south central 

 section. The southern and southeastern parts are drained by the 

 Salmon, Ausable, and Little Ausable rivers. The western slope 

 of Lyon Mountain is drained into Upper Chateaugay Lake and 

 from thence into the St. Lawrence. These streams provide 

 abundant power for the numerous grist and pulp mills of the 

 county. On the Saranac and Ausable rivers in particular, large 

 quantities of pulp wood are floated down to the mills from the 

 forests along their banks. On all the larger streams are numerous 

 falls, the Saranac High Falls being especially noted for their 

 scenic beauty. In the western wilderness -are numerous small 

 lakes. 



In the southern part of the county is the famous Au&able Chasm, 

 which is nearly two miles long, with high, rocky cliffs on either 

 side of the stream and exhibiting many interesting geological 

 features. In a narrow belt along Lake Champlain the soil is 

 r-layey, adapted to the growing of small grains and hay; in •the 

 interior it is a sandy loam adapted to pasturage and fruit growing; 

 further back, in the foothills of the mountains, potato growing is 

 an important industry. 



DESCRIPTION BY TOWNSHIPS 

 Ai.tova : Surface, a rolling upland with a slight inclination 

 toward the northeast. The western half is underlaid bv Potsdam 



