Onondaga County 491 



lying south of the old Erie Canal includes the northernmost spurs 

 of the central Allegheny Mountains, and is hilly and broken by 

 deep valleys. The highest points in the county are in the town 

 of Fabius, 2,000 feet in height. 



The geological formation of the county consists of alternate 

 strata of shale and limestone underlying each other in nearly 

 horizontal layers. Both limestone and gypsum were formerly 

 quarried in large quantities. At the present time, however, the 

 quarries are operated by the Solvay Process Company for use in 

 their various enterprises and for the manufacture of ground lime- 

 stone for agricultural purposes. A group of about GO brine wells 

 in the southern part is also operated by this company. 



The streams of the county nearly all flow in a. northerly 

 direction, their waters flowing through Oswego River into Lake 

 Ontario. Several small streams rise in the southern part of the 

 county and form the head branches of Tioughnioga River. The 

 principal lakes are Oneida, on the northeastern boundary, Onon- 

 daga and Cross lakes in the northern half, and Skaneateles and 

 Otisco lakes among the hills in the south. 



The soils of the county are almost wholly of glacial origin. 

 The effect of the glacial epoch is clearly observed in the forma- 

 tion all along the Niagara escarpment. North of the escarpment 

 huge boulders are found scattered through the rich, heavy clays 

 and in some instances through the light, sandy loams. In the 

 central and northern portions the marshes are covered with peat 

 and muck formation of great fertility. One of these swamps is 

 known as the Cicero Swamp, which occupies an extensive area 

 in the northern part. 



DESCRIPTION BY TOWNSHIPS 

 Camillus : The surface is rolling, the ridges extending gen- 

 erally north and south. Ninemile Creek flows through the center, 

 breaking through the Niagara escarpment at Martisco, bluffs 

 rising from 100 to 200 feet high. The soil is a rich clayey and 

 gravelly loam. 



Products: Alfalfa, corn, oats, wheat, barley, cattle and 



dairy products. 

 Average values of farm land range from $75 to $125 an 



acre. 



