7^ ILLINOIS STATE DAJRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Having given a brief outline of the origin and forma- 

 tion of soils, I will, as I understand, give the order of their 

 distribution, explaining the soils and climates best adapted 

 to dairying. A sufficient and equal rainfall through the 

 spring, summer and fall months, and an equable climate 

 not subject to the extremes of heat or cold, are as essential 

 to successful dairying as a fertile soil. The soils formed 

 from the primitive rocks, even before the existence of 

 organic life, being mostly volcanic and mineral-bearing as 

 surface rocks, are, with sufficient rainfall with a mild and 

 equable climate, well adapted for dairying ; as in Oregon, 

 Washington, British Columbia and Montana. These coun- 

 tries and Great Britain, Belgium, Holland and Denmark, 

 owing to their mild and equable climate, are in my opinion 

 the best adapted of any countries known for dairying. All 

 of these countries are situated between 45° and 50° of north 

 latitude. The equatorial currents of the Pacific ocean, 

 flowing with their warming influences northeasterly to the 

 shores of California, Oregon, Washington Teritory and 

 British Columbia, passing through the valley of the Sacra- 

 mento and the valley of the Columbia river, and through 

 the great gap in the Coast Range of mountains, 1 50 miles 

 in width at Vancouver's, their currents of warm atmos- 

 phere, passing northeasterly through Oregon, Washington 

 and British Columbia, till they meet the polar currents ; 

 then their course veering southeasterly through Montana, 

 give these countries a mild and equable climate and suffi- 

 cient rainfall, similar to the climate of England, Belgium 

 and Holland — caused by the equatorial currents passing 

 through the gulf stream across the Atlantic northeasterly 

 to the shores of Western Europe. 



The soils next in their order of formation are derived 

 from the decomposition of carboniferous rocks, which were 

 first elevated during the early part of the middle portion of 

 geological periods. Elevation and subsidence continued 

 through all ages of this formation with that portion of the 

 earth covered by these rocks. Stratum upon stratum of coal 

 was formed, with layers of rocks between each stratum of 

 coal. Often the central portions of these coal basins were 

 covered with drift, to the depth of 2,000 or 3,000 feet; 

 while the outside rim of these coal basins came to the sur- 

 face. The distribution of soils derived from these rocks, 

 west of the AUeghanies and north of 37° of latitude and 



