MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 155 



stone in three feet beds. The same rock is also found four miles further 

 up stream. At the latter place part of it presents a beautiful bluish- 

 gray variegated appearance. I regard this limestone as possessing 

 much durability, and, being in a thick even bed, may become in time 

 very useful for large columns. I believe it to be equivalent to that used 

 in the construction of the old State House at Springfield. 



West of Butler there are good quarries of limestone for lime, and it 

 is also much used in the neighborhood for ordiuary building purposes. 



Soil and Agriculture. — The richest land lies in the northern part of 

 the county mostly north of the line between Tps. 9 and 10 N. East of 

 Xokomis there are a few high mounds quite rich on top and along their 

 sides, and especially so in the valleys between. The northwest town- 

 ships have a rich soil and are capable of producing heavy crops of coru 

 and wheat. Southwardly, on the prairie, good wheat crops and occa- 

 sionally good corn crops are produced. In many places fresh plowing 

 will disclose rich spots alternating with poorer land. This is due to the 

 existence of what are commonly called "scalds." These "scalds" are 

 spots of very thin, poor soil, with naturally a very scanty vegetation, 

 mostly Ambrosia bidentata. Good manuring and deep plowing might 

 make these barren spots more productive. With careful tillage, deep 

 plowing and thoroughly rolling or harrowing, so as to render the soil 

 quite loose, good crops of wheat can be raised on most of the whitish 

 soils. On ordinary land, by good preparation and sowing with a drill 

 the farmer may feel sure of twenty-five to thirty bushels of wheat per 

 acre. 



