76 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN*S ASSOCIATION. 



origin in the destruction of ancient rocks ; which, in the 

 early geological period, covered the earth's surface. The 

 granite formed the first stratum or platform, on which all 

 other formations are rested. At the commencement of the 

 first geological period all rocks lay in a horizontal position. 

 During the early and middle geological periods, the whole 

 of the earth's surface was subject to great and intense dis- 

 turbance, caused by the action of intense subterranean heat 

 and volcanic action ; continents and islands were by the 

 process of upheaval, elevated above the surface of the ocean. 

 During the violent throes and convulsions which occurred 

 at these periods in the elevation of continents and islands 

 above the surface of the ocean, in many parts of the earth, 

 their stratas of rocks were twisted, bent, tilted, or thrown 

 out of place, and often lay with a heavy dip ; or in a verti- 

 cal position, in mountain ranges, hills and elevated plains. 

 During these geological periods intense heat prevailed on 

 the earth's surface, causing dense vapors and a great 

 amount of rainfall on mountains, hills and plains, then ele- 

 vated above the ocean's surface; forming rivers and streams, 

 with rapid currents, plunging down mountain and hill-sides 

 with great force, scooping out canyons, gorges, ravines and 

 deep valleys on mountains and hill-sides, disintegrating 

 rocks from their beds, grinding, decomposing and pulver- 

 izing them to atoms while drifting their debris to oceans, 

 seas, bays and lakes, which were continually receding by 

 the process of elevation of land above their surface, form- 

 ing large tracts of diluvial soils, on both continents. Dur- 

 ing the long succession of ages in which these diluvial or 

 drift-soils were forming, the great heat and immense rain- 

 fall which prevailed during the receding of waters of oceans 

 and seas and the formation of diluvial soils, caused an im- 

 mense and luxuriant growth of vegetation on the earth's 

 surface. The decayed matter of this vegetation intermix- 

 ing with the materials of these diluvial soils or drift-forma- 

 tions, in most parts of both continents, formed soils of great 

 fertility. The greater portion of the great basin drained 

 by the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers and their 

 branches, and the lake system of North America, are soils 

 of this character ; formed mainly by the decomposition and 

 pulverization of rocks underlying these diluvial deposits, 

 drifted from a distance. These formations are wonderfully 

 rich in calcareous, saline and alkaline matter, and mineral 



