GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEERITOEIES. 307 



tion of one part as contrasted with another would be useless, as there 

 are no differences of any importance in an agricultural point of view, 

 with the single exception of the contrast between the Missouri bottoms 

 and the upland prairies. And here the only difference is that the former 

 is flat, the soil deeper and darker, being mixed with a larger proportion 

 of vegetable mold, and partially supplied with timber, chiefly cotton- 

 wood groves. 



The following description of Union County, (the southeast county of 

 the Territory,) taken from " The Outlines of History of the Territory of 

 Dakota," by James S. Foster, I found to be quite correct, and as it will 

 apply pretty generally to the counties along the Missouri in this part of 

 the Territory, I insert it here : 



The surface of Union County resembles that of any of the Missouri River counties. 

 It has, however, more bottom-lands than any other county. The south half is level 

 bottom-lands, only a few feet above the high- water mark of the Missouri River; the 

 north half is rolling prairie, elevated about 20 to .50 feet above the bottom-lands. The 

 bottoms are perfectlj^ level and very smooth, presenting no obstacles to machine farming. 

 The uplands are generally undulating, presenting to the eye a beautiful landscape. The 

 soil of the bottoms is a dark, sandy loam, mixed with a large proportion of vegetable 

 mold. These bottoms are vast natural meadows, producing an abundant growth of 

 excellent grass, frequently yielding over three tons to the acre. The uplands also 

 aflbrd an excellent quality of nutritious grass, but not so luxuriant in growth as 

 that of the bottoms. The latter produce excellent crops of corn, wheat, oats, and 

 vegetables, but the uplands, although capable of producing all kinds of grain and 

 vegetables, are pre-eminent for wheat, thirty bushels to the acre being an ordinary 

 yield. Along the Missouri, in the southern portion of the county, are large bodies of 

 heavy cotton- wood timbef ; there are also considerable bodies of timber skirting the 

 Big Sioux. 



The surface and soil of Clay County resemble those of Union ,• the sur- 

 face of Yankton and Bon Homme Counties is rather more rolling, with less 

 bottom-land, otherwise similar to Union. From the mouth of the Sioux 

 Eiver to Vermillion River, the bottom or immediate valley of the Mis- 

 souri is chiefly on the Dakota side, and varies in width from five to 

 twelve miles. At Vermillion the bluffs — which form the escarpment of 

 the upper level or plateau — approach very near the river. Beyond this 

 the bottom again suddenly expands, and continues until we reach the 

 vicinity of Yankton, varying in width from five to ten or twelve miles. 

 I was somewhat surprised to find this part of the Territory as well set- 

 tled as it is, a large portion of the bottoms and a part of the upper 

 prairie lands being already under cultivation. At the time of my first 

 visit, judging by the state of the crops, the season really appeared to be 

 more advanced here than in Northern Iowa, owing, I suppose, to the 

 warm nature of the soil, which here is generally underlaid with a heavy 

 deposit of yellow, sandy marl (loess) which contains a large amount of 

 the mineral elements of fertility. There appears to be but little diffi- 

 culty in obtaining water on the uplands by means of wells, and the 

 comparative elevation does not appear to make very great difference in 

 the depth. 



The farmers here have very wisely adopted the plan of planting out 

 forest-trees as one of the first things they do after making a settlement, 

 and notwithstanding all the wild theories which have been advanced, 

 they have had the good common sense to select the native cotton-wood, 

 which, in five years from planting, (not seeding,) will commence afford- 

 ing fuel for stoves. I noticed at several points thickets of the wild 

 plum (probably Prunus chicasa) loaded with fruit ; also many grape- 

 vines (wild) in fruit. 



One serious drawback in this section, which must be seriously felt as 

 soon as the cotton-wood groves along the Missouri have been exhausted, 

 is the deficiency in fuel and building- material. The latter want will be 



