HAMILTON COUNTY. 81 



body of most excellent timber. These lands possess a very rich soil, 

 usually a sandy loam, and when cleared and brought under cultivation 

 they are the most productive lands in the county. The prairies are 

 small, and occupy the highlands forming the water shed between the 

 streams. The soil is a chocolate-colored clay loam of average quality, 

 and produces fair crops of corn, wheat, oats, grass, etc. Some of the 

 best timbered uplands are equally as productive as the prairie, especially 

 those on which the timber growth consists in part of black walnut, elm, 

 linden, sugar maple, wild cherry, etc., in addition to the common varie- 

 ties of oak and hickory. The oak ridges along the breaks of some of 

 the streams have a thiu soil with a stiff clay subsoil, and need the fre- 

 quent application of artificial stimulants, in the way of manures, or by 

 fallowing and plowing under green crops, to retain their productivequal- 

 ities. These lands will produce good crops of wheat and clover, and by 

 judicious management may easily be made to repay the labor of the 

 veil skilled husbandman. As an agricultural region this county ranks 

 favorably with those adjacent in Southern Illinois, and the completion 

 of the St. Louis and Southeastern railroad gives to the products of the 

 county an easy access to the St. Louis market, or that of the large cities 

 on the Ohio and the Lower Mississippi rivers. 



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